Red Velvet Cake

I wanted to make a special treat for Valentine's Day this week, but I wanted something that was also simple. I decided on this Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. It's a very basic recipe similar to those that can be found in many cookbooks or on the Internet. To make it special, I dug out my heart-shaped cake pans.

I saved the "scraps" from where I trimmed the cake to level it and crumbled them to use as sprinkles.


Red Velvet Cake

1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) liquid red food color
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2-1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

Frosting:

2 bricks (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2 round layer cake pans --OR-- line bottom of pan with parchment paper and spray both paper and sides with non-stick pan spray.

In a large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla for 2 minutes until creamy.. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Stir buttermilk, food color and vinegar in a 2-cup measuring cup until well-blended. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating just until blended. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl, with mixer on medium speed, until smooth and creamy. On low speed, add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Increase speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.

Spread frosting between layers, on top and on sides of cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving.

Makes 1 two-layer cake.