Sylvia Woods’ Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Sylvia Woods, the lady behind the Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook, has put her stamp on the red velvet cake. It’s a smooth, fine-crumbed confection that has a slightly sweet, vanilla-flavored center, with a rich, moist texture. Red velvet has been a staple of the Southern U.S. since the Victorian era. A few modern incarnations have added oil instead of butter to the batter, but that doesn’t take away from the old fashioned charm of the classic recipe.

The most elegant of all cakes, this recipe is best enjoyed on a lazy Sunday afternoon, when it is topped off with a cup of joe and a slice of homemade ice cream. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, but will taste even better the next day. Unlike other types of cake, it is easy to cut and slice. However, it does tend to get crumbly, so use caution.

There are many varieties of the classic red velvet cake. Some recipes use oil rather than butter, and some contain no red food coloring at all. One of the earliest red velvet recipes was published in the 1920s, and the recipe was credited to Caroline King, a popular food writer of the day. But there are many variations of the popular cake, including the Blue Velvet, which uses natural dyes in place of artificial colors. Another variation is the red velvet layer cake, which is two layers instead of four.

Sylvia Woods’s Family Soul Food Cookbook is scheduled to be released in late spring. It is a great gift for the devoted soul food connoisseur. As well as containing hundreds of recipes, it is also filled with fascinating history of the American soul food tradition, ranging from its earliest roots in the south to the present-day popularity of Southern dishes in general. With its emphasis on the family and the traditions that shaped it, it is sure to be a hit with foodies everywhere.

This red velvet cake is a real winner. To test out its eminence ligée, I opted to make a double batch, using two 9-inch tube pans and baking at 350 degrees for about 65 minutes. The result was a light and airy confection that was a delight to the eyes and the palate. If you can’t make it home for dessert, you can have your fill at Delta Soul Cafe, which features Sunday brunch and live music. In addition to traditional Southern fare, the restaurant serves a number of unique, contemporary Southern-inspired dishes. They even have a “Delta-sized” menu if you need to make an emergency run for food. You can check out their full menu by clicking on their website link below.

Sylvia’s family has been in the food business for generations, and her cookbook is a keeper. She’s had her own share of accolades and failures, but she’s been able to learn from both to produce a book that is a must have for anyone interested in cooking up a storm.