Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Recipe

Red Velvet Cake:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 8-inch cake pans with butter or nonstick oil spray and lightly dust with 1 tablespoon of the sifted cocoa powder.

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light in color. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition to combine well.

3. In a smaller bowl, mix together oil, remaining cocoa powder, red food coloring, and vanilla until smooth. Stir color mixture and vinegar through the creamed sugar mixture to combine.

4. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add ½ of the dry ingredients and ½ of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients; mix well. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.

5. Divide batter among the 2 prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla for about 3 to 4 minutes until smooth lighter in color.

2. Beat in icing sugar until frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thin, add more icing sugar and beat again until reaching the desired consistency. Mix in the lemon juice, if using.

3. Transfer 1 cake onto a serving dish or plate, flat-side down. Trim the top dome off of the cake to create a flat bottom later. Scoop about 1½ to 2 cups of frosting onto the cake and spread evenly over the top.

4. Place the second cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

5. Crumble trimmed pieces of cake to decorate.

6. Serve and enjoy.