Red Velvet Cake Recipe

CAKE

2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t cocoa powder
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c buttermilk, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2 T red food coloring (optional)
1 t white distilled vinegar
1 t vanilla


FROSTING

1 lb cream cheese, soft
4 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 sticks butter, soft
1 t vanilla


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly Crisco/flour 3 (9 x 1 1/2") round cake pans. In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another bowl whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Mix dry and wet until just combined and smooth. Divide the batter among the cake pans and place in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake 30 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and run a knife around the edges. Invert onto a cooling rack with paper towel on top.

For frosting, whip all but vanilla until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix. Put in refrigerator briefly until a bit stiffer. Start frosting cake layers, both in between and around the whole surface.

Notes:

• Grease the dish way more than you think. This is good because 1) there's no way anything will stick, especially in the corners, and 2) you'll get that lovely buttery crust on the edge pieces!

• If you keep your butter in the fridge and don't want to wait a hundred years for it to come to room temperature, simply but what you need on a dish in the microwave and set for 20-25 seconds (go with less time first). This will make the butter soft but not melt it.
• Since cream cheese is usually cold when you get it, if you don't want to wait for it to come to room temperature simply put in a bowl in the microwave for 25-30 seconds. This will get it nice and mashy and very easy to mix!