Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake

Few cakes carry as much mystique as the Waldorf Astoria red velvet. This is the recipe that launched a thousand urban legends and a million holiday dessert tables.

Buttermilk and a touch of cocoa give the layers a tender, velvety crumb with just a whisper of chocolate flavor. The vinegar and baking soda reaction keeps everything impossibly light.

The frosting is the real revelation: a cooked flour and milk base whipped with butter, sugar, and vanilla until it’s fluffy as a cloud. Old-school ermine frosting, and it’s nothing like cream cheese. It tastes like the best whipped cream you’ve ever had, but holds its shape like a dream.

Chef Tips

• The cooked flour frosting MUST be completely cooled before you beat it with the butter and sugar. Warm mixture will melt the butter and you’ll end up with soup.
• Beat the frosting on high speed for a solid 5 to 7 minutes until it’s white and fluffy with no graininess.
• Split 3 layers into 4 thinner ones for an even more impressive presentation.
• Buttermilk is essential here. Don’t substitute regular milk and vinegar if you can avoid it.