Baby showers are so fun, aren’t they? You ooh and aah over the cutest baby clothes in pastel shades, ogle over the new-fangled baby gear and how much it has changed since your baby showers, and then play shower games that can get just a wee bit crazy when they involve guessing how many inches around the pregnant belly is. They also always have a mighty impressive spread of food.
Cake is always a favorite part of any shower and I wanted it to have a surprise inside when you cut it.
Unexpected, vibrant, and perfect for a little boy.
Blue Velvet Cake has all of the great taste of the more traditional Red Velvet Cake, but with such a fun twist that everyone will remember it.
Blue Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (92 g) shortening
- 1 ½ cups (297 g) sugar
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 1 ounce (28 g) royal blue gel paste food color
- 2 drops (0.2 g) violet gel paste food color
- 2 tablespoons (10.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 scant teaspoon (2.6 g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (4.7 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans.
- Cream Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, completely incorporating after each addition.
- In a small bowl, make a paste of food coloring and cocoa powder and add to mixture.
- Stir together flour and salt in a separate medium bowl, set aside.
- Pour buttermilk and vanilla into a measuring cup, set aside.
- Alternately, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into Crisco/sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Reduce speed of mixer and stir in baking soda, making sure incorporated into batter. Then, stir in the vinegar, taking care not to beat hard or over mix.
- Distribute cake batter evenly into the three cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until cakes have gently pulled away from the edges of the cake pans and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- Cool cake thoroughly before frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Notes: I used Americolor Soft Gel Paste in Royal Blue and Violet. You may also want to try a natural-based food coloring.
I wanted blue velvet for my wedding cake, but everyone keeps saying that it will turn peoples teeth blue…did your cake color anyones teeth?
I was wondering the same thing. As my sister is getting married in July and I am making a blue velvet cake for her wedding cake. I am doing a trial run today and taking it to work so I guess I will see cause I’m not seeing an answer to this question. Hope it turned out well for you.
Have you ever made these into cupcakes? What changes would I need to make, if any, to the recipe? Any idea how long to bake them?
Hi,
I’m wandering if your recipe for Blue Velvet Cake would be enough to make 12 cupcakes? I am planning on making it this weekend for my nephew’s bday. Would appreciate a quick response.
Thank you.
I’m sorry also where it says to use soda, is that baking soda?
Yes, you’ll use baking soda. Thanks so much!
Hi,
I am wondering which of the ingredients are for the frosting. I don’t bake normally so I would need exact instructions to a recipe,but would like to try your recipe for this beautiful cake.
Mahalo,
Melissa
Hi Melissa. I didn’t include the frosting in this recipe. You can use your favorite buttercream or cream cheese icing on this cake. Either work well.
I love the way this cake looks, most blue velvet recipes I’ve found haven’t been nearly as blue. I really want to make this for my best friend’s birthday but I was wondering if there is anything I could substitute for the Crisco.
I used margarine instead of Crisco, and the taste was great but I will try Crisco next time just to see if there’s a big difference. Great recipe
When the recipe calls for soda does it mean baking soda?
Yes, baking soda.
Howdy! I’m participating in a work bake off this Friday and rumor has it that my director loves red velvet. Initially, I planned on making red velvet until I found out that my competition was also baking one. Our admin secretary turned me onto an Oprah magazine where a blue velvet cake was featured. I did a search and found myself here! Compared to other recipes, this one looks great and your cake recipe will be the one used for the cake. As for the icing, I’m using just a traditional simple cream cheese icing. This is somewhat of a new territory for me as I don’t bake often, hopefully your recipe will win first prize! It’s not all about personal glory! This bake off is to benefit Cowboy Santa’s so first place, 3rd place, or no place, we’re all still winners! Will come back to share my experience with this recipe! Thanks again!
How did it go Adam?……RESULTS please!!
This blue velvet cake is gorgeous! I was wondering what kind of frosting you used for it and do you have a recipe for the frosting? I really want to use this recipe for my sister’s new baby boy’s sip & see, thanks in advance if you respond! (:
This is gorgeous! But I’m a little confused as to why so many people seem to think it would only be appropriate for a boy’s baby shower, and even more confused as to why it would be significant at a “gender reveal” party, whatever that is. What does the color of the cake have to do with the baby’s gender?
Hi Sarah,
I think this Blue Velvet Cake is fun for any occasion.
Im making this for my sons 12th Birthday Cake. I have just made a trial run. I’ve got wilton paste colouring, and used a teaspoon on the Royal blue and a dash of the lilac, and it has gone out quite green. Do you know what percentages i need to use for the vivid blue you have achieved.
By the way, I substituted crisco for butter (I live in France) and milk for buttermilk. And it is delicious! Thank you
Blue is traditionally associated with boys, and pink is with girls…I don’t know why but I’m sure if you googled it you would find the answer, and a gender reveal party would be a party where the gender of the mother’s baby would be revealed. So, if she was having a boy and the baby’s gender was kept a secret until the cake was cut, people would see the color blue and this would hint at the baby’s gender. The idea would be that someone at the party would catch on to it.
I soooo can’t wait to make this cake for my hubby’s b-day! It looks delish. Thank you for posting this recipe 🙂
I have made this great cake and i wanted to mention for anyone who has unintentionally made a green cake that it has to do with alkalinized cocoa powder and you need 100% cocoa for a true blue color. Many cocoas are processed with alkali– Dutch processed– to reduce acidity. The alkaline kind reacts with the intense blue food coloring and it yellows, turning it green. I had that issue and after ~2 days deep inside the internet researching cocoa powders, i finally found that info, bought a 100% cocoa and the problem resolved. Just wanted to leave that info in case anyone else was stumped like i was.
Thanks for the information, Katie!