Real Southern Red Velvet Cake

Oil for cake pans
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cocoa powder
1 ½ c. oil
1 c. buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 T. red food coloring
1 t. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla
Crushed pecans, garnish

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 lb. cream cheese, softened
4 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
1 t. vanilla

1. Preheat oven 350. Lightly oil and flour 3 round cake pans.
2. In large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
3. In another bowl, whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
4. Using an electric mixer, mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined and smooth batter is formed.
5. Divide batter evenly between the 3 cake pans.
6. Place the pans in oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating pans halfway through cooking until cake pulls away from the side of the pans and toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out cleans, about 25-30 minutes.
7. Remove cakes from oven and run knife around edges to loosen 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.
8. FROSTING: In electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment or hand-held mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar and butter on low speed until incorporated.
9. Increase speed to high and mix until light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape sides into the mix.
10. Reduce speed to low and add vanilla, raise speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy.
11. Store icing in refrigerator until somewhat stiff before using. Can be stored 3 days.
12. To frost cake: Place 1 layer, rounded side down, in middle of cake stand. Spread some of the frosting over the top of the cake, at least ¼-1/2” thick. Carefully set another cake layer on top, rounded side down. Ice this layer. Top with remaining layer and cover entire cake with remaining frosting.
13. Sprinkle with pecans.