Red Velvet Cake - Happy 7th Birthday to My Precious Boy!

This cake has an oil instead of the butter and is really moist. Red and white colors make an elegant combination. The richness, the textures, and everything is simply too good.

Note: You can substitute natural red food color (made from beets and⁄or hibiscus) for the standard food dye, but the color won’t be nearly as vibrant.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 Tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

• 2 eggs
1 cup oil

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 tsp white distilled vinegar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 tsp red gel food coloring

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 6 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and sprinkle with flour two 8 inch cake pans.

Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with whisk until blended. Set aside. Place all the dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and stir together really good. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add together wet ingredients and the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly combined. If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it until it is spreadable, about 15 minutes.

Spread the cream cheese frosting between and on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with crumbs.