Presenting...Red Velvet Cake

Try not to be alarmed by the High School chemistry experiment list of ingredients. This is the cake that lets you fake it as a professional patissier. To make this perfect cake even more special scatter red rose petals over it before serving.

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened, cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2 oz. red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup prepared plain hot coffee

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and vegetable oil.
4. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and red food coloring until combined.
5. Stir in the coffee and white vinegar.
6. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients a little at time, mixing after each addition, just until combined.
7. Generously grease and flour two round cake pans with Crisco and flour.
8. Pour the batter evenly into each pan.
9. Bake in the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake as cake will continue to cook as it cools.
10. Let cool on a cooling rack until the pan are warm to the touch.
11. Slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan.
12. Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool.
13. Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting when the cakes have cooled completely.

Frosting

1 cup sweet butter, softened
20 oz. powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 oz. cream cheese

Cream butter and add icing sugar gradually. Mix in vanilla. Add cream cheese (do not mix cheese too much  or frosting may become watery).