Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Cake

• 2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1.5-2 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs

Frosting

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 
  

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20-27 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

For frosting:
Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Whip the cream - adding a little powdered sugar and vanilla as you go.  

Fold in the whipped cream to the cream cheese frosting.

Split cake layers in half (so you have four layers).  Put filling in and dirty ice the outside.  Chill for a good hour.  Then frost the rest of the cake to avoid crumbs.

(original recipe from epicurious, alterations by KCD)