Red Velvet Cake recipe from 1961

This Red Velvet Cake recipe appeared in a newspaper dated August 21, 1961. 

It’s fluffy, moist and the ermine frosting makes for a light and rich cake that has become my go to red velvet recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

• ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
• 1 ½ cups sugar (300g)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoon cocoa
• red food coloring (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups cake flour (285g)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Ermine Frosting:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup unsalted butter (227g)
• 1 cup icing sugar (125g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Note: All ingredients should be room temperature unless otherwise stated.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C
• Grease three 8 or 9-inch pans

Cake:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter thoroughly.
2. Add sugar gradually and cream until light and fluffy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each addition. 
4. Mix in salt, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.
5. In a measuring cup, add food coloring to buttermilk. 
6. To the batter, add flour alternately with buttermilk mixture -- starting and finishing with the flour. Mix until batter is smooth. 
7. Dissolve baking soda into vinegar. Fold into batter.
8. Pour into three well greased 8 or 9-inch layer pans or a 13x9x2-inch pan.
9. Bake at 350°F/175°C for 25-30 minutes or until done. (Bake times will vary based on pan size and oven. Keep an eye on it.) 
10. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then cool full on racks.

Ermine Frosting:

1. In a medium saucepan, make a paste of flour and part of the milk. Add remainder of milk gradually and mix until smooth.
2. Cook over medium heat and stir until thick. 
3. Remove from heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl and cover with cling film to prevent a skin from forming while it cools. 
4. Leave until VERY COOL. This is important. If it is not cooled sufficiently the butter will melt when it is added.
5. Cream butter with icing sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. 
6. Add butter mixture to the cooled flour mixture -- 1 tablespoon at a time -- and continue to beat until fluffy.

Once the cake is cooled, ice as you like. :)

Enjoy!

Notes: 

• Food coloring is optional. The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup liquid red food coloring. If you are using gel, you will need a lot less and should replace the lost liquid with a few tablespoons of water. 
• The amount of icing is just enough to cover the cake. Don’t be too generous in between the layers or you will not have enough icing to cover the cake.

Original newspaper clipping from 1961: