Few desserts evoke as much intrigue – and as many questions – as red velvet cake. With its striking crimson crumb, delicate cocoa notes, and cream cheese frosting, this cake has long straddled the line between nostalgic indulgence and culinary mystery. Its origins are often contested, and its colour the subject of both science and folklore.
Red velvet’s earliest ancestors can be traced back to the 19th century, when bakers
