Missy's Red Velvet Cake W/cream Cheese Frosting

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• cake
• 3 large eggs (room-temp)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter flavor crisco
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (i use swan's down, sift 3x)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (i use or make my own from lemon juice & milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 1/4 tablespoons vinegar
• frosting
• 0.75 (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 8 ounces pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1 lb confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f spray pans w/pam baking spray or grease and flour two 9-in. cake pans; set pans aside.
• 2 with electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, shortening and sugar until well combined. add the food coloring and cocoa, mixing well. add the butter and mix well.
• 3 in a separate bowl, sift the cake flour & salt three times. slowly add to creamed mixture. add the buttermilk and mix well.
• 4 in a small bowl, combine baking soda & vinegar, stirring until baking soda is dissolved. once dissolved, add to batter and mix well.
• 5 pour batter into the prepared pans & bake about 20 mins or until cake springs back upon touch. let layers cool completely on wire racks.
• 6 while cakes are cooling, prepare frosting. using an electric mixer, combine butter, vanilla & cream cheese until completely blended. reduce mixer speed & gradually add sifted confectioners' sugar. once completely blended, add chopped pecans, if desired.