Happy Birthday to Sis'

Wallene has been on a baking streak and it all began with her sister's birthday cake. The eldest picked Red Velvet Cake and Wallene happily obliged. I just have to say moist-y goodness. Yum.


Red Velvet Cake
Recipe from Southern Cuisine

2 ½ cups plain flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tsp. cocoa baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 tsp almond flavoring
2 eggs (medium or large)
1 bottle red food coloring (1 oz size)
Directions:
Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa powder into a big bowl that you’ll use to mix the cake.
Using a hand or table mixer, put in the milk. Mix.
Add oil and mix.
Add vinegar, vanilla and almond flavoring. Mix.
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add and mix.
Add the food coloring. Mix until the batter is even in color.
Grease and flour 3 cake pans – size 8 inches.
Evenly pour the batter into the three pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the center tests done with a toothpick.
Let the cake cool and then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ cup margarine (softened)
8 oz. cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla flavoring
1 box of confectioners sugar (1 pound)
1 cup pecans (may also want some extras to sprinkle on top)**

Directions:

Beat the margarine and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until light and creamy.
Add vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat well.
Hand stir in pecans.
Spread cream cheese icing between layers of the Red Velvet cake, up the sides and on top.
If you have lots of pecans, then sprinkle some pieces on top.
The pecans are especially good toasted a bit in the oven for this recipe.

And of course my computer is being stubborn and won't let me download the lovely cake, arghh. [I'm a pirate :)] I will try later. **We didn't use the pecans on this as no one is a big fan.

Tonight we are finishing off the Key Lime Pie and Wallene will make an apple pie for Pooldad. Life is just full of sweetness tadpoles. Pure sweetness.