RED VELVET CAKE

by Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS:
Red Velvet Cake
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 tsps. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk*
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps. vinegar
1 oz. red food coloring
1 1/2 tsps. cocoa powder


Cream Cheese Icing
1 1/2 8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray two round 10" cake pans (preferably 2" deep) with non-stick spray.

Blend together the shortening and sugar.  Set aside.  Sift together the flour and salt.  Set aside. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in a separate bowl.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the shortening mixture in the mixing bowl, mixing after each addition.  In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and cocoa powder.

Pour into the mixing bowl.

Mix until just combined.  Don't overbeat

Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out  clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans.  Cool completely before icing.

ICING:

Place the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth.  Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the bowl.  Add the salt and mix.  Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.  I completely forgot to take pictures of making the icing.  It happened so fast because it's really quick and simple to make.

Place one layer face down on cake plate.

Plop a large spoonful of icing in the center of the layer.  Using an offset spatula, spread one-third of the icing evenly on top of one layer, making sure to get the icing all the way to the edges.

Place the other cake layer on top, face down.  (As you can see, I didn't follow directions, I didn't spread the icing on the first layer all the way to the ends).

Ice the top.

And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go (yeah right, that's a challenge!)

Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes before cutting and serving to keep the icing soft yet firm.

This cake was really hard to cut into because it looked so pretty all dressed up in icing but to show the beautiful red color on the inside made it all worth it.  This cake was a hit!  The cream cheese icing was so good, I think I'll use it on every cake I make from now on!  ~isavortheweekend