MMMmonday - Red Velvet Cake for your Valentine

I asked Wayne what the most romantic thing I could make for him on Valentine's Day would be and he immediately said ~ Red Velvet Cake, something we'd never even heard of til we moved to the South, but that he has adopted as his number one favorite cake and here's my recipe:


Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting




2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring (note: I used one-half ounce of gel coloring - available with cake decorating supplies)
12 tablespoons (6 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar


Frosting:
16 tablespoons (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces, softened
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt


For the cake:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. 
3. Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs in large measuring cup.
4. Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until a smooth paste forms.
5. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about two minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. 
6. Add one-third of flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds.
7. Add half of buttermilk mixture and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl as necessary and repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally remaining flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, add cocoa mixture, and beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. 
8. Using a rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Scrape into prepared cake pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 
9. Cool cake layers in pans 10 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

For the frosting:

1. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add cream
2. cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. When cakes are cooled, spread with frosting. 
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to three days.

Do you have a recipe for love?  Or that you love?  Link it up on this month's recipe linky - or add two!