The Perfect Red Velvet Cake

My husband's all-time favorite cake is a Red Velvet Cake. I usually just order a Red Velvet cake from our amazing local cake-maker, Cecilia's, but this past birthday I decided to make him one from scratch. Since I'm not much of a baker, I spent weeks researching cake-making tips and I scoured the internet for the best way to make a Red Velvet. My husband is such an amazing, generous, wonderful person; he deserved the best cake ever. So that's what he got! It really is the most perfect Red Velvet Cake I have ever eaten.

The Perfect Red Velvet Cake

CAKE INGREDIENTS

 2 cups white sugar

½ lb unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Additional cocoa powder for "flouring"

1 oz red food coloring

2 ½ cups cake flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup full-fat buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking soda

1 tbsp white vinegar

CAKE DIRECTIONS

1.  Set out all ingredients and bring them to room temperature
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter; and then beat until light and fluffy. Add  in the eggs one at a time, mixing well.
3. In a small bowl, mix cocoa powder and food coloring together; then add to sugar mixture. Blend.
4. Sift together flour and salt (if you don't have a sifter, whisk it in a separate bowl). Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, making sure you end on flour.  Stir in the vanilla.
5. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and fold into main mixture immediately, being very careful to not over mix. 
6. Grease two 8 inch deep dish pie pans (or three 8" regular pie pans if you want 3 layers). “Flour” the bottom with cocoa powder. Pour in batter.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes (or 20-25 minutes if using regular pie pans).  Take them out right before they are completely done, as it will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. Set aside to cool.

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

12 oz cream cheese, softened--or to taste

1 stick of butter, softened

7 oz marshmallow fluff

1.5 cups of confectioners' sugar—or to taste

1 tsp vanilla extract

FROSTING DIRECTIONS

1.  Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl.
2. Add in the marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and sugar.  Mix well.
3. Taste and add more cream cheese if you like it with a stronger cream cheese flavor, or more sugar if you like your frosting sweeter.
4. Make sure the cakes are cool, and do a dry crumb coat, and then freeze (about an hour).
5. Remove from freezer, spread icing between layers and on top and sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
   
   
   
   

**Recipe Adapted From Paula Deen**