What Is Pink Velvet Cake And How Does It Differ From The Red Kind?
BY KYLE GRACE MILLS
Red velvet cake is famous worldwide, but "velvet" cakes can be made in any color, including pink. Pink velvet cake is much more complex than red velvet with less food coloring.
Besides color, the difference between these two cakes is that red velvet contains a bit of cocoa powder, while pink velvet uses none. The brown cocoa would dull the pink color.
Furthermore, what makes a pink velvet cake different from other pink-colored cakes is its texture. It's not a cocoa-leaning flavor that defines velvet cakes, but their consistency.
The crumb of a velvet cake must be intensely tender and soft, just like velvet fabric. Buttermilk and vinegar, the two acids present in every velvet cake recipe, get the job done.
These ingredients add moisture and a tangy flavor to velvet cakes. Cocoa is mainly used to make cakes look redder, so pink velvet can go without it and still be a velvet cake.