Ingredients
- CAKE
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- Pinch Salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp. natural cocoa powder (do not use dutch processed)
- 2 tbsp. red food coloring (1 1oz. bottle)
- 12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- FROSTING
- 16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 16 oz. cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch Salt
Preparation
Step 1
1 For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350 degress. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and eggs in large measuring cup. Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until a smooth paste forms.
2. With stand mixer on meduim high speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as neccessary. Add one third of flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add half of buttermilk mixture and beat until combined. Scrape bowl and repeat with half of remaining flour, remaining buttermilk, and finally remaining flour. Add cocoa mixture and beat until completely incorporated. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Divide into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pan 10 minutes then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
3 For the frosting: With stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 mintues. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla and salt. Refrigerated until ready to use.
4. Frost cake!