Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 bottle (1 oz) red food color
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening, then dust lightly with flour.
2. 2Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, red food coloring, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds while scraping the sides. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
3. 3Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely for about an hour.
4. 4Whisk a half cup of flour and the milk together in a medium saucepan until completely smooth. Cook over medium heat while stirring continuously until the mixture thickens significantly.
5. 5Take the saucepan off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. In a separate large bowl, whip the sugar and softened butter on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and airy.
6. 6Add the cooled flour mixture to the butter mixture one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until completely smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Spread one cup of the frosting between each cake layer, then frost the top and sides.
7. 7Cover the finished cake and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
8. 8To make cupcakes instead, line 24 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Prepare the cake batter exactly as instructed above.
9. 9Distribute the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each one about two-thirds of the way to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. 10Transfer the baked cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool for 30 minutes. Top them with the prepared frosting once they are completely cool.
11. 11Prepare the frosting base by combining the required flour and milk in a saucepan.
12. 12Cook the frosting base over medium heat, stirring without stopping until it reaches a very thick consistency.
13. 13Incorporate the thickened flour mixture into the butter gradually, beating on high speed until the frosting is smooth and thick.

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