Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Show: Paula's Home CookingEpisode: My Grandmother's Table

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (338)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(338)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
16 to 20 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 2 hr 0 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 2 hr 55 min

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Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup melted marshmallows
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
Diane Bethel, CT 11-20-2009
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Simply superb!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I am in love with Red Velvet cake, and on my quest for the best recipe, I came across Paula's. I made this one, in addition... to three other recipes, and had a cake tasting party. This one won by a mile! Read more
recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
Michal kiloman, AR 11-20-2009
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Wowwwwww.....well the icing at least!!!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This cake was incredible!!!! The cake was amazing but the icing is the BEST ICING I HAVE EVER TASTED! This is the first time... ive ever tasted red velvet cake....but WOW WOW WOW! worth a try! Yes for the previus query, you dot need nuts and coconut but it would be as amazing without. hope this helps :)Read more
recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
Diana Albuquerque, NM 11-18-2009
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Nuts and Coconut Necessary??
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This frosting sounds delish, but is it necessary to use the nuts and coconuts? Anyone tried it without? I am worried about... the texture.Read more
recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
Jessica San Ramon, CA 11-17-2009
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So Easy and so delicious!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe comes out wonderfully. I too read most of the reviews and the only thing I did was make sure my ingredients were... at room temp. I also doubled the frosting. 1.5 times the recipe probably would have been enough, because I had left over but the last thing I wanted was to be short on frosting, which was so so so so so good. I would not reduce the quantity of cocoa. If anything, you could put more in! The cake is sweet, but not too sweet. Most important is the fact it was so easy to make. I did it with my kids and it still came out great, and looked beautiful in the end. A definite crowd pleaser.Read more
recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
null null, null 11-13-2009
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Only the Best!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was the first Red Velvet recipe I found, and nothing can compare to this perfect Southern Classic. Tried and tested... among all my friends and family and it's always a hit! Thanks Paula!Read more
recipe Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake
Brigid Maplewood, NJ 11-12-2009
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Best and only Red velvet cake recipe we use!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The first time I made this cake was for the Christmas the red and white looked gorgeose as we sliced the cake. Ribbons of red... and white made it the perfect holiday cake. When we were looking for a recipe the first person who popped in my mind was Paula a southern cake a southern chef. But instead of using cream cheese frosting we used 7 minute frosting a classic southern delight. When it came time to eat the icing was hard and wasnt worth the effort. The next time we made it we couldnt stop eating because we put creamcheese frosting on it. All in all if you follow the recipe its the best I've ever had!Read more