Red Velvet has a proportionally red history behind it. When food was rationed during the Second World War, bakers used boiled beet root as a substitute for colouring to enhance the customer appeal of their cakes. Boiled grated beetroot is found in red velvet cakes even today. However, most bakers use red colour.
A Southern variation of the cake is made with cream cheese frosting. Beetroot or beets are not used in the in this version.
