Red Velvet Cake

Last week I was making carrot cakes and this week I was asked to make a red velvet cake for a colleague of Randal's.  I tried out a few different recipes but this was the one I settled on for Rick.  It's a very moist cake from Saveur and definitely the best of the ones we tried.

2 1/2 cups plus
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp  cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp  white distilled vinegar

Frosting:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups icing sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease three 8" round cake pans.

Sift remaining flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 25 minutes.

To make the frosting beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until well combined.  Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread frosting on top.  Set another layer on top and repeat frosting.  Set remaining layer on top and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting.  

Linked to: Gooseberry Patch, It's Just Called Spicy, Laugh Love and Craft, Newlyweds, Seven Thirty Three, Jaq's Studio, Creations By Kara, Mrs Fox's Sweets, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Something Swanky, Mom on Timeout, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, These Peas Taste Funny