Red velvet is thriving on restaurant menus, on and off the dessert page. B&O Brasserie scored a big hit last year with red velvet doughnuts with cream cheese frosting, and the Gypsy Queen food truck has customers lining up for its red velvet waffles.

"It's one of the most popular flavors out there," said Drew Vanlandingham, a Baltimore-based wedding planner. "Red velvet is something that's right in between the plain birthday-style wedding cake and the sweet chocolate cake. People want it because it's rich and creamy and delicious, and they like the coloring."

The velvet crush hit Parkville in 2007. Michael "Al" Meckel, the co-owner of Fenwick Bakery, had never heard of red velvet until five years ago, when his customers started asking for it.

"I gave it a shot" Meckel said, "but I'm colorblind, and I was coming up with fuchsia velvet cakes. I had to have someone else on the staff look at it."