Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent the cake from sticking.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. This ensures there are no lumps in the dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, gently whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vanilla extract, and vinegar until well combined.
4. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined and smooth. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Use a spatula to smooth the tops.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until smooth.
9. Once the cakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting on top of one cake layer. Place the second cake on top, then frost the top and sides of the cake.