Ingredients:
Shortening for the pans
2 + 1/2 cups flour
1 + 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine salt
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 + 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 T. red food coloring (1/2 ounce)
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
1 tsp.vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour cake pans.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil,buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.
Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake at 350 degrees until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.
Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
Difficulty: Easy
Time to Make: about 45 minutes
Recipe Origin: Cakeman Raven, Cakeman Raven Confectionery, NYC
