Red Velvet Cake With Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake bakes best in four pans. If you need additional pans, use 8-inch aluminum foil disposable pans. Just be sure to place them on a baking sheet for stability.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons red liquid food coloring
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, beating until blended.
2. 2. Whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon batter into 4 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.
3. 3. Bake all pans at the same time, with 2 pans on top rack and 2 pans on bottom rack, at 350° for 10 minutes; rotate pans, and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
4. 4. Spread about 1 cup Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting between cake layers; spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake.

Southern Living
DECEMBER 2012