Old-fashioned Red Velvet Cake

This red velvet cake was asked for as a birthday cake MANY times by my siblings and me growing up. So much so that my mom was offended one year because she thought maybe we didn't think she could bake any other cake. That definitely wasn't true! It was just that well loved.

She got this cake recipe years before we were born from a coworker's mother. She was not a huge fan of red velvet cake until she tried this one! I have made a few minor adjustments to make it my own.

This cake has an old fashioned cooked frosting that makes it really unique and not overly sweet. It isn't a fancy cake, but it sure is delicious.

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup of white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 room temperature eggs

2 oz liquid red food coloring

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 T cocoa powder

1 tsp table salt

2 1/4 cups of all purpose four

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup room temperature buttermilk

1 T white vinegar

Frosting Ingredients:

3 T all purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup room temperature butter

Pink gel frosting color- if you wish

1. Gather all your ingredients- I suggest putting your buttermilk, eggs, and butter out on the counter 2 hours before starting.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Prep two 8-inch rounds by buttering, then add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom, butter the top of the parchment, and then lightly sprinkle with flour. Tap the cake pan on the counter as you turn it in circles to completely cover the inside with a light flour coating. Then dump the excess flour out.
4. Cream the coconut oil and sugars. Then add the two eggs to the mixture. Beat until fluffy (2 min)
5. Add in the red food coloring, vanilla and almond extract.
6. Measure your flour by using the spoon and level method. This ensures you don't put too much flour by packing it in the measuring cup. Simply fill the measuring cup by spooning the flour in and then scrape the excess off the top.
7. Add half of your flour, all of the baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt to your batter. Pour your vinegar into your buttermilk and add about half of the liquid to the batter. Mix until barely combined.
8. Add the remaining flour and buttermilk/vinegar combo. You only want to mix it until it looks just well blended. Mixing too much can make a cake tough.
9. Pour the batter a little at a time into both cake pans to try and get roughly the same amount in the two pans.
10. Bake for 30 min.
11. After baking let them sit in the pan for just a few minutes- then flip the cakes out to cool on a rack.

*A note before you begin. A cooked frosting must be watched and stirred almost constantly. If you use a non stick pot please make sure to use a rubber whisk so you won't scratch the bottom of your pot.*

1. Measure 1 cup of milk and pour about 1/3 of it into a small pot.
2. Heat the pot over low heat.
3. Add 3 T of flour to the milk mixture and whisk well until there are no lumps. It will resemble a paste.
4. Bump the heat up to medium low and gradually add in the rest of the milk while whisking until you achieve a smooth texture again.
5. Add in your cup of white sugar, stirring constantly.
6. From here your going to need to watch the mixture as it continues to thicken. This could take 6-8 minutes. The end texture should resemble a thin pudding. You do not want it to boil.
7. Once thickened, pour frosting base into a bowl until it is cool to the touch.
8. Once cool, begin beating your butter until it is fluffy.
9. Add in the cooked frosting base and vanilla and beat until fluffy. The icing is ready!
10. If you'd like to add color to your frosting, you can. I like to use gel colors.

1. Place a tablespoon of icing in the center of your desired cake plate. Center one of the cooled cake layers onto the icing and press down to help it stay still for decorating.
2. Put a large dollop of icing in the middle of the 1st layer of cake. Smooth it out all the way to the edges of the layer, adding or removing as necessary to cover the top.
3. Place second cake layer on top of the iced layer and press down gently.
4. Put another large dollop on the top layer and smooth to the edges.
5. Gradually smooth remaining frosting around the sides of the cake.
6. Your cake is ready! Feel free to decorate with sprinkles, coconut, or even toasted pecans.

Enjoy!