Red Velvet Sour Cream Cake
You’ll want to make this sour cream red velvet cake all the time since it’s so moist and delicious. You will not be disappointed if you add cream cheese buttercream.
Hello there! Before you browse, there’s a lot of vital information in this article! includes the FAQ section, which may help you with any queries you have regarding this recipe. Enjoy!
Just a quick search on the internet can provide a plethora of red velvet cake recipes. Most of those recipes ask for buttermilk, which is excellent and I like using in cakes, but I prefer sour cream in cakes.
It’s just one of the greatest methods to add moisture to your cakes, in my opinion. So I set out to bake a sour cream red velvet cake, and I believe I struck the jackpot.
So, because we discussed buttermilk before and we aren’t using it in this recipe, I have a tale and a question for you. I believe this is a southern thing, but I’m not sure.
Cornbread with buttermilk was one of my father’s favorite snacks. If you’re grossed off by buttermilk, simply skip on to the next section. I’m just warning you now.
My father would take cornbread and place it in the bottom of a tall glass before pouring buttermilk over it. He’d split up the cornbread with a spoon and then eat it all mixed up in the buttercream.
He’d then leave the glass on the coffee table, ostensibly to disgust everyone. The buttermilk would create these lines on the glass, which was justewww.
Here’s my query: Is this anything unique to the South? Did any other people’s parents do this? Or maybe you do it? I’m just wondering. I’m not sure which was worse, it or my father’s sardine nibbles. Now, my point is that we didn’t use buttermilk in this cake. Yeah, I realize that was an odd transition, but here we are.
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Contents
- LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE SOUR CREAM RED VELVET CAKE:
- ICING FOR THE RED VELVET CAKE:
- MIXING METHOD FOR THE SOUR CREAM RED VELVET CAKE:
- TIPS & FAQ’S FOR THE RED VELVET CAKE:
- Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake
- FAQs
- What happens when you add sour cream to cake?
- Why does my red velvet cake taste sour?
- What makes a cake more moist buttermilk or sour cream?
- Is red velvet cake sweet or Sour?
- How much sour cream should I add to my box cake mix?
- How much sour cream should I add to my cake batter?
- Does sour cream make a cake moist?
- What makes red velvet cake so expensive?
- Why do you put vinegar in red velvet cake?
- What happens if I use sour cream instead of buttermilk?
LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE SOUR CREAM RED VELVET CAKE:
Sour cream: As the name suggests, we’re using sour cream instead of regular buttermilk in this red velvet cake. The sour cream just adds moisture.
Cocoa powder: This cake contains a trace of cocoa powder (which is normally the case in a red velvet cake). Yet, contrary to popular belief, red velvet cake is not just chocolate cake with red food coloring added. There isn’t much cocoa powder in this, just enough to give it a subtle taste.
Vinegar: This is the extra ingredient that gives it the velvety texture. This, together with the cocoa powder, gives the cake a crimson hue, while the acidity of the sour cream adds to the red velvet taste.
No-taste red gel food coloring: For this cake, I used no-taste red gel food coloring. There are other brands available, but I just used the one I had nearby, which was the Wilton brand. You can get it right here.
Since gel food coloring is more intense, I like it. You won’t have to add as much of it, and it won’t add any extra moisture to your cake batter.
I used around a spoonful of the gel coloring, which was somewhat more than half of the jar. You can certainly add more if you want a very brilliant red hue, but I usually go a bit lighter on the food coloring since I’m sure it’s not great for your health. (Like sugar, butter, and flour?) Nonetheless, it was my attempt to be a bit more health aware.
ICING FOR THE RED VELVET CAKE:
One of my favorite aspects of red velvet cake is the cream cheese frosting that is spread on top. You should try my recipe here: Recipe for Cream Cheese Buttercream
MIXING METHOD FOR THE SOUR CREAM RED VELVET CAKE:
The creaming technique is used to make this cake, which simply entails whipping the butter and sugar together until highly frothy, integrating as much air as possible in this process to obtain a wonderful fluffy cake.
Following that, add your eggs one at a time, followed by your dry and liquid components, in that order.
TIPS & FAQ’S FOR THE RED VELVET CAKE:
Fill your measuring cups halfway with flour. Do not scoop it straight from the flour container into the measuring cup, as this may compact the flour and result in an overly floured cake.
I like sour cream, but if you can’t find it, you may substitute yogurt. But, try to obtain the full-fat yogurt. (Using milk instead of sour cream will result in a cake that isn’t nearly as moist.)
Whole milk is not the same as cream. It is just milk that has not had the fat removed, like 2% or skim milk have. If you can get it, use whole milk since the fat will help make the cake moist. If you can’t find it, use whatever milk you have on hand.
Gel food coloring is superior since it is more concentrated and requires less coloring. You can probably utilize the liquid, but you’ll have to use a lot more of it. Be sure you obtain the no-taste food coloring, whatever option you pick.
Take great care not to over-mix your cake batter. Homemade cakes are not the same as mix cakes, and if you mix them for too long, the cake will be thick and may not rise at all. Mix just until all of the ingredients are properly blended. It is not necessary to remove every single lump.
Now for the recipe.
***I write recipes in volume (cup) measures since that is what people in the United States are accustomed to seeing and using. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card to get weight in metric measures. The weights are converted by a software, not by me, and the results are an educated approximation. Please keep in mind that while I prepare recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake
***I publish recipes in volume (cup) measures since that is what people are accustomed to seeing and using in the United States. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card to convert weight to metric measures. The weights are converted by a software rather than by me, and it is an educated assumption. Please keep in mind that while I create my recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
***I write recipes in volume (cups) measures since that is what people in the United States are accustomed to seeing and using. Click the metric button beneath the ingredients in the recipe card for weight in metric units. The weights are converted by a software, not by me, and it is a best approximation. Please keep in mind that while I prepare recipes in cups, I cannot guarantee that weighing the components will provide the same results.
Ingredients
- 2 cups general purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1teaspoonsalt
- 1 cup soured cream
- a cup of whole milk
- 1teaspoonvinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pound unsalted butter (room temp)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3largeeggs
- 1 tablespoon red gel food coloring (can use a bit more for a darker red color)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
- In a mixing dish, combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside after whisking together.
- In a separate dish, combine the sour cream, milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Set away after thoroughly whisking.
- Now, in the mixing bowl, cream the butter.
- Whip in the sugar until frothy. (It takes about a minute.)
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each one.
- Add the dry and wet components alternately. Begin with the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Mix in one-third of the dry mixture, then another third of the liquid mixture until mixed. Mix in the remainder of the liquid mixture, then the final third of the dry ingredients, just until mixed. Don’t overmix here since you’ll need to add the red food coloring next.
- Include the red food coloring. If you want a deep crimson cake, add a bit extra red food coloring. Stir until the food coloring is evenly distributed.
- Bake for 50 minutes at 325°F in a preheated oven. Begin checking after 45 minutes. When touched, the center should bounce back and a few crumbs should adhere to a toothpick placed into the center of the cake.
- Cover with a layer of cream cheese buttercream. (You can find the recipe on the blog.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t forget to acquire the Cream Cheese Buttercream recipe!
I hope you give it a go and let me know how you enjoy it!
There are affiliate links in this post. I earn money as an Amazon Associate by making qualifying purchases.
Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake Ingredients and Tools:
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- 8 round cake pans
- Icing Spatula, Large
- Ice Packs
- Tip for 2D Icing
- Recipe for Cream Cheese Buttercream
Remember to Pin it for Later!
FAQs
What happens when you add sour cream to cake?
Sour cream provides moisture without thinning the batter as a liquid would. Since sour cream adds moisture without thinning down the batter, the result is a cake with a very soft, fine crumb.
Why does my red velvet cake taste sour?
The buttermilk and vinegar used in the recipe give the Red Velvet an acidic flavor. The cheese cream topping adds to the sour flavor, but it is balanced off with sugar, chocolate, and cocoa.
What makes a cake more moist buttermilk or sour cream?
Baking with Sour Cream: The creamy texture of sour cream keeps baked products moister than milk. Sour cream is a wonderful alternative for recipes that are known to produce drier outcomes, such as sponge cakes.
Is red velvet cake sweet or Sour?
Red velvet cake has a very mild cocoa flavor with a slightly tart edge. The cream cheese frosting has the strongest flavor. The texture is maybe more significant than the taste: smooth, soft, delicate, and light with creamy frosting.
How much sour cream should I add to my box cake mix?
Sour cream is the key ingredient to a luscious cake! That’s correct. Adding 12 cup of sour cream, similar to milk, adds flavor to your box cake mix.
How much sour cream should I add to my cake batter?
For a bakery-style cake, top with a dollop of sour cream.
Since sour cream includes fat, your cake will be richer as well. According to the baking site Liv for Cake, you should start with around 1 cup of sour cream.
Does sour cream make a cake moist?
According to Wilk, sour cream is one of the fattiest dairy products; the added fat content (for example, using sour cream instead of milk in a cake) will make the cake moister and richer. “Fat, in any form (butter, lard, milk, etc.), shortens gluten strands, resulting in the most soft baked products,” she continues.
What makes red velvet cake so expensive?
Why is red velvet cake so pricey? To be honest, red velvet cakes aren’t significantly more expensive to bake than any other kind of cake. The only components that may raise the price of the cake are the red food coloring and the cream cheese required to prepare the cream cheese icing.
Why do you put vinegar in red velvet cake?
The buttermilk and vinegar provide a soft, light, and fluffy texture to the cake. Red velvet cake is often served with white cream-cheese icing.
What happens if I use sour cream instead of buttermilk?
Sour cream is prepared by fermenting cream with lactic acid bacteria, which gives it a sour taste comparable to buttermilk ( 5 ). Sour cream is thicker than buttermilk, so when preparing a buttermilk alternative, dilute it with water or milk.