Red Velvet Cake

So while drooling (I mean reading) over the blog Culinary Concoctions by Peabody I came across an amazing picture of Red Velvet cake and I just HAD to make it! This was my first attempt at a purely home made cake so it was definitely a learning process. First lesson, cake flour is definitely NOT the same thing as All-purpose flour. Second lesson, wait for the cakes to cool a little bit before flipping out of pan. And finally lesson number three, be patient when making frosting unless you want a runny sticky mess.

Despite my problems this was still a really good cake. I will absolutely make it again. I also want to say a little thanks to Alton Brown and his Good Eats episode on cakes. From him I learned how to level my loppy cakes. Jesse also really liked it, his comment "It definitely doesn't taste like it looks" LOL. Next time it will be better!

The recipe

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp white vinegar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 to 3 TBSP cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
5/8 ounce bottle red food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the eggs, sugar, oil and vinegar. Sift the cake flour, baking soda, and cocoa together. Add the flour mixture to the creamed ingredients while beating. Slowly add the buttermilk. While still beating, add the vanilla and the food coloring. Pour into three 8-inch layer pans and bake for about 25 minutes. Press lightly;if the layers are spongy, then the cake is done. Frost the cooled layers, assemble and frost the top and sides. Serves 12 to 14.
Red Velvet Cake Frosting
1(8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
1 (1 pound) box confectioners sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the cream cheese and butter and melt over very low heat. Add the sugar, pecans and vanilla and mix well. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a little milk. Frost one 8-inch or 9-inch layer cake.