Recipe for the Precious

Southern Red Velvet Cake
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1 oz bottle red food coloring
1 tsp white distilled vinegar (my cider vinegar worked fine, I thought)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) 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.
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, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking(weird, huh?), 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. Put layers together with a layer of frosting between. Frost top and sides. Place whole pecans around top and crushed pecans on side of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 lb cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 cup soft unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar till smooth. Add vanilla, and beat at high till fluffy. Store in fridge till somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in fridge for 3 days.