Red Velvet Cake

This is Ree Drummond's (aka The Pioneer Woman) recipe for Red Velvet.  My sister made this for my brother's birthday and it was really good, it is not as sweet as other cakes and has a different texture, in a good way.

On the menu: Red Velvet Cake

ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups of cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 ounce red food coloring (2 ounces if you like a deeper red)

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 1/2 8-ounce cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds powered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray two round 10 inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.  Blend together the shortening and the sugar in a mixing bowl, use an electric mixture.  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 a 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 frosting.

Now beat the icing.  Place the cream cheese and the 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.  Place one layer face down  on a cake plate.  Plop a large spoonful or icing in the center of the layer.  Using a 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.  Ice the top.  And ice the sides with the remaining icing, being careful not to loosen crumbs as you go along.  refrigerate the cake for 2o minutes before cutting and serving. Our cake was more pink because we don't like a lot of red 40 in our food. ;) But it was just as good without it! Enjoy!