Red Velvet Cake

This is a classic southern cake.  We had a Red Velvet Cake for our groom's cake at our wedding in 1998.  It was so delicious!  Gwen Blubaugh, a co-worker, made it from scratch and it was beautifully decorated with sugared fruit.  She shared the recipe with me, but I've since lost it.  This one is pretty close.

Red Velvet Cake (adapted from allrecipes)
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces red food coloring
2-1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Grease two 9" baking pans with crisco and dust with flour/cocoa mixture; line bottoms with parchment paper and set aside.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and red food coloring.  In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and cocoa powder (at this point you can dust your greased pans).  Alternately add flour and buttermilk to wet ingredients.  In small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar (carefully stir since it will foam).  Gently fold this into the cake batter.  Pour evenly into prepared pans.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 35 minutes.  Check doneness of cake after 30 minutes.  Cool completely (refrigerate if possible) before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz block softened cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
4 Tbsp softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated.  Add vanilla and beat until thick and smooth.

Frost cake layers and top.  Store in the refrigerator, covered.  Some people like to add chopped pecans to the sides of the cake, I don't do that because I don't like it.  You do what you like.

Yummy!