Mimi's Red Velvet Cake

Mimi in Maine's Note:

This is so pretty and good. I have served it with whipped cream on top of the slice and have not frosted the cake, although most people do. If you want to frost it please see Nana's Red Velvet Cake Icing. This is pretty at Christmas time.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 cake

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Cream the shortening and sugar.
2. Add the eggs and beat till smooth and well blended.
3. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt to the above, alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the vanilla and food coloring.
5. Mix the baking soda and vinegar together and fold into the batter by hand; stir just enough to get it inches.
6. Pour into a greased and floured angel pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes; can be baked in two layers also.

Reviews

[Baking Girl]

I am a professional pastry chef with my own business and this Red Velvet Cake is the best! I pride myself on my delicious yellow cake and chocolate cake recipes I have concocted over the past year. I have had such a hard time finding a great Red Velvet recipe. This weekened I have had a dozen red velvet cupcakes and a red velvet square cake due and I started to panic. After trying so many recipes and not liking any of them, I gave this one a try. Fantastic! I didn't follow the directions though-I put liquids together, creamed butter sugar-added eggs and vanilla. Put dry ingredients together. I did the two staged creaming method. Thank you so much! This is also really close to the WAldorf Astoria Cake recipe.

[MexiMami]

This was a hit! unfortunately it's not picture worthy due to a mishap on my part but it tastes delicious!!My family could not get enough of it! I just need to make some minor changes (I think I'll add a tad bit more buttermilk next time to make it just a bit more moist) but other than that the taste was perfect! I used a cream cheese frosting that gave it the perfect contrast of flavor. Like heaven in your mouth!

[Olive*]

This is the same recipe I use, except I use 2 teaspoons of cocoa instead of 2 Tablespoons and 1teaspoon of vinegar instead of 1 Tablespoon. So far, this cake recipe has been made for over 60 years in our family that I know of. It is the most requested cake that I am asked to make. The icing that I use is a cooked icing as well, and it has been the traditional icing to use on a red cake in our family over the years. No other icing will do! Cooked icing can be a little tricky if you haven't ever made it before.