baci's baking - Red Velvet Cake

Everyone loves red velvet cake, right? Well, I have found the BEST recipe for it ever and of course it comes from the amazing Paula Deen! We call this "Kill Your Mother Cake" in our house because my mom is not only allergic to the coconut and pecans in the frosting, but also the red food coloring in the cake! We still let her sneak a tiny itty bitty piece though because it's so tasty ;)

Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake

(Recipe Courtesy Paula Deen)

Cake

2 cups sugar

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

2 T. cocoa powder

2 ounces red food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 t. salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. baking soda

1 T. vinegar

Frosting

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup melted marshmallows

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to the sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternatively with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar, add to the mixture.

3) Pour batter into three 8-inch round greased and floured pans.

4) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

5) While cakes cool, blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl for frosting. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts.

6) Spread frosting between layers, on top and sides of cooled cake. Enjoy!