Trivia: What ingredient caused the first red velvet cakes to turn red?
Cherries
Vinegar
Rhubarb
Coffee beans
The correct answer is Vinegar
So why is this answer correct? : The first red velvet cakes were made with unprocessed cocoa powder and vinegar, which resulted in a reddish tint when mixed. Today, most red velvet cakes get their color from red food dye. The most significant difference between modern red velvet cake and traditional chocolate cake is the use of vinegar and the type of cocoa used — red velvet uses unprocessed cocoa, while traditional chocolate cake uses processed cocoa or melting chocolate.