Red Velvet Cake

It's the beginning of the New Year and everyone is dieting. So what am I doing posting a decadent three-layer cake, you ask? Everything in moderation folks. There is no way that Pap and I can eat this whole cake ourselves without weighing 300 pounds. We will probably have one or two slices of it and then share the rest with our Mexican Train Gang tonight.

Look closely at the picture. Do you see the Subway napkin in the photo? That was our main meal for the day, a six-inch sandwich totaling 320 calories. So you can have your cake and eat to, just have a small slice.

Ingredients:
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring
1 recipe Cream-Cheese Icing (recipe follows) (I used my Whipped Cream Frosting instead)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring; beat at medium speed with electric mixer until combined.

4. Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans.

4. Bake 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted near center comes out clean.

6. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.

7. Spread Cream Cheese Icing between the layers and on sides and top of cake. Garnish with any additional crumb, if desired.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Icing:
1 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (2-pound) package confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, until desired consistency is reached.