Ben Johnson

One three-tier red velvet cake with tangy cream cheese frosting

Crushing it on Valentine’s Day, slaying at the potluck table or cupcake shop, red velvet is the homecoming queen of American confections. And like those of most Americans, its origins are <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/dining/red-velvet-cake-from-gimmick-to-american-classic.html?_r=0">tricky to trace</a>. Its appeal, on the other hand, is undeniable. Everyone wants to make the world’s best red velvet cake. So to bring you a moist and springy version of the scarlet-hued southern institution, we employed our tested formula for a perfect layer cake, dyed it red, and spackled it in fresh, tangy cream cheese frosting. That’s it, and there you have it: the only red velvet recipe you’ll ever need. But wait a second here. If red velvet cake is just chocolate cake with red food coloring, what’s the big deal? Why has it become a matter of national obsession, inspiring strange <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/samimain/starbucks-six-crazy-new-frappuccino-flavors-include-red-velv">Starbucks spawn</a> and also stuff you can’t even eat—like soap, fragrance oil, and lipstick? The answer seems to lie in a phenomenon best summed up with the annoying expression “You eat with your eyes.” British pop culture personality Stefan Gates has attempted to test this phenomenon, feeding college students peas—some dyed with food coloring to brighten them, some not. The <a href="http://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/2014-07-08/470/bws/how-colour-affects-taste">young scholars</a> reported that the dyed peas were fresher and more flavorful. Gates conducted another experiment in which he offered oenophiles white wine that had been dyed red. Despite their perfect palates, the experts believed they were indeed drinking red wine, and when the truth was revealed, they pointed out that they were trained to taste with their eyes first. Which is presumably what’s going on when we dig into a slice of red velvet cake—despite knowing that it’s just chocolate cake—and experience a distinct “red” flavor, a flavor that we love. And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that. If a little red food coloring helps your bake sale offering sell like (ugh) hotcakes, if it makes someone’s birthday a little brighter or says “I love you” in a way a plain old chocolate cake just couldn’t, we’re all for it. So go forth and do the red velvet thing. With this can’t-fail recipe in your pocket, it’s going to be as delicious as it is eye-catching.