Ryberg Red Velvet Cake

[The Edifying Conscience]

Since I originally posted this recipe I've had mixed results with this recipe. One time it was wonderful, the next time it was okay and the last time it was a freak of nature. Because it was at one time wonderful, I'm sure I messed it up the last two times. I'm intersted in hearing how it turns out for anyone else.


Red Velvet Cake
Gluten Free Baking, Roben Ryberg

1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla [RR calls for vanilla FLAVORING and that's wrong on so many different levels.]
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup potato starch
1 1/4 cups cornstarch
2 1/2 teapoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons guar gum [I used xanthan gum.]
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 ounce red food coloring

Preheat oven to 325*F. In large bowl combine oil, shortening and sugar. Mix well. Add eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla and food coloring. Mix well. Slowly add buttermilk, mixing well. Add potato starch, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and guar gum. Mix well. Batter will be quite thick.

In small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar. [This will bubble up a lot.] Immediately fold into batter, incorporating well.

Pou batter into 2 greased round pans or a 9X13 pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle of cake tests clean. Extra portions must be frozen to retain flavor and texture.

Makes 1 large cake. Serves 15.

TEC Notes:
Ryberg left out the food coloring from the recipe. What is a Red Velvet Cake if it's not red? Looking back at other recipes most called for 2 ounces of food coloring, but I made due with 1 ounce. The cake is a bright pinkish-red with cocoa streaks coming through. Make sure you mix the batter really well or this will happen to you to. If I make this again I'll add the food coloring prior to the cocoa powder in hopes of getting a more even color.

Vanilla--All of the recipes in her book call for vanilla flavoring. Vanilla flavoring is a horrible product IMNSHO. I just don't understand why she doesn't call for the real deal. The only thing that I can think of is that she wants to stay far away from the distilled alcohol debate and for that I can't blame her.

The texture of the batter itself is much more tough than I anticipated. I'm not sure if that is how it is supposed to be or if it is a result of the baker's technique. It's highly probable that it is the latter. Because the batter is thick make sure you take the time to tap the pans and to smooth out the batter after it's in the baking pan. Unlike other cake batter, this doesn't smooth itself out during the baking process.

I made 12 cupcakes and 1 heart shaped cake. The first took about 19 minutes to bake and the latter took close to 30 minutes in my oven that may or may not calibrated properly. I let the cakes cool on a rack away from the stove. The cupcakes and the cake both sank slightly while cooling.

I've had one (unfrosted) cupcake and it's quite moist and light while slightly rubbery and heavy at the same time. I know that doesn't make any sense. Actually the texture is quite similar to the Namaste chocolate cake, if any of you have had that product. There is a slight chocolate flavor to the cake(will probably add 1 T more cocoa next time) and the tanginess of the buttermilk comes through, but I can't taste the vanilla. It tastes pretty good, but to be honest I can't for the life of me remember what a gluten version of Red Velvet tatstes like.

While this is not the best GF cake that I've ever had, it's pretty darn good. I'm thankful that this one food tradition will remain in my life. If my family and friends are really lucky, I'll make another during the year. Now, dig out that food coloring and make a red, orange, green or blue velvet cake. You owe it to yourself.
TEC

Edited on the AM of 2/13 to add that this is another cake recipe that benefits from sitting overnight.

[The Edifying Conscience]

Red Velvet Icing
Gluten-Free Baking, Roben Ryberg

1 cup milk
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup butter 1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions: In microwave-safe bowl, combine milk and cornstarch. Mix well. Microwave this mixture on high for 2-4 minutes, until quite thick. Stop and stir well every minute or so. The milk and cornstarch may also be cooked in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constancly if using this method. Cover milk mixture with plastic wrap touching its surface. This will prevent 'skin' from forming. Cool to room temperature.

In medium bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add milk mixture and beat until frosting looks like whpped cream. This will take several minutes.

Notes: "If you rush the preparation of this icing by not letting the milk mixture cool to room temperature, you will end up with a bowl of tasty liquid."