How red velvet cake traveled to MuffinTaffin

Red velvet is a real American cake, not a bakery invention. At MuffinTaffin in Budva, Montenegro, it sits with the other cakes guests request when they want a soft cocoa crumb and a tangy finish.

In the American South, bakers mixed a little cocoa with buttermilk and vinegar. The acid turned the crumb faintly reddish and kept it tender, which is why people called the texture velvet long before bright dye became common.

During the 1940s, Adams Extract in Texas pushed the red version in newspaper ads and helped turn a regional cake into a national habit. A New York hotel story still circulates, but the lasting method is the cocoa batter, not a secret recipe card.

What makes the slice velvety

The usual method uses soft wheat flour, oil or butter, baking soda, cocoa, buttermilk, and a splash of vinegar. Cream-cheese frosting came later; earlier Southern versions often used a cooked flour icing called ermine frosting.

In November, MuffinTaffin serves red velvet for orders in Budva. The layers travel well to a family table, and sales pick up when guests want cakes that feel festive without a heavy chocolate center.