Birthday Cake : Red Velvet

So this past weekend Ruby (my Kitchen Aid mixer) and I baked up red velvet cake in celebration of Roosevelt's birthday. My husband loves chocolate cake and he especially likes the subtle chocolate taste of red velvet. Unfortunately he has indulged minimally in the cake (he swears I have some secret plot to make him fat), however, I on the other hand have been eating cake breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past 3 days. I love moist yummy cakey goodness and this recipe really hit the spot.  I have been holding on to it ever since my mother clipped it from the February 2008 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I only made slight changes to it and I used cream cheese frosting recipe courtesy of who else Ms. Martha. After my breakfast of a big fat heaping slice this morning I sent a text message to Roe  letting him know that it has to be gone by tomorrow since I can not take another day of temptation.

Enjoy. And if you want to share your recipe for red velvet please do so, I would love to try.

Red Velvet Cake

• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup of butter that has stood out for at least 30 minutes
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (my preference is Ghirardelli)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cup of buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Grease and flour three 8x1 1/2 inch round baking pans. Set aside.
• In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, salt. set aside. 
• In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla, beat until combined
• One at a time add eggs, beat on medium after each. Beat in food coloring on low.
• Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to egg mixture. Beat on low-medium after each until just combined.
• Stir together baking soda and vinegar. Add to batter, beat until just combined.

• Spread into prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until pick inserted in centers comes out clean
• Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Courtesy of Martha Stewart website)

Makes 2 cups (it was just enough to ice the 3 layer cake)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractt

Directions

Place butter in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined, about 2 minutes.