Grandmother Paula's Red Velvet Cake

By michele080478

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces red food coloring or 1 tbsp gel (for blue velvet use blue and cut cocoa to 1 tbsp)
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (I made buttermilk from scratch)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• Icing:
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup melted marshmallows (I didn’t use)
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar (3 3/4 cups)
• 1 cup shredded coconut (I didn’t use)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (I didn’t use)

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 55mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Buttermilk:
1tbsp vinegar then add milk to make a cup


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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 sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

For cupcakes 20-22 minutes for 24 cupcakes