Are you a sweetaholic like me?  If so, you will love this Red Velvet Cake.  I found this recipe on blog called Cafe Delights and had to try it.  Not only did it look delicious but I have NEVER made a cake from scratch before!

Valentine’s Day is this Friday! Are you celebrating at home, going on a hot date, or out on the town with your friends? Maybe you are going to a house party? If you are, tell everyone you are bringing something sweet and serve up this homemade Red Velvet Cake! Bring the red and be festive! This cake is buttery, rich, with a velvet texture. The homemade icing drips over the cake adding another layer of richness and ooey gooeyness!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature. I used 2 sticks.
1 1/2 cups caster sugar or fine white granulated sugar. I used granulated sugar.
2 large eggs
1/4 cooking oil. I used Canola oil.
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder.
2 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid, not gel). I used 2.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 1/2 plain cake flour, sifted or all purpose/plain flour. I used plain flour.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting:

14 ounces cream cheese (not spreadable), at room temperature. I used 16 oz.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature. I used 2 sticks.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. I used 3 teaspoons.
4 cups confectioners (or icing) sugar. I used 4 cups confectioners.
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional – adds subtle hint of lemon). I used 2 tablespoons of lemon.

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch cake pans with butter or nonstick oil spray and lightly dust with a tablespoon of sifted cocoa powder. (I baked a round bundt cake and cut it in half and used PAM Butter cooking spray to spray the cake pan).

Cream butter and sugar together until light in color. Add eggs one at at a time, beating well after each addition to combine well. (I added both eggs at the same time).

In small 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.

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

Divide butter 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. (Again, I baked one cake for 40 minutes and cut into half)

Add icing in between layers and ice on stop. I sprinkled the top with red decorative sugar crystals to add color.