Last month my darling husband celebrated his golden birthday. And in a moment of weakness I offered to make him any cake in the entire world…from scratch. I’m not sure why I thought this was a good idea but it made sense at the time.

He requested red velvet cake which meant I had to go directly to the expert for a recipe: my Memaw! She makes one of these bad boys a few times per year and I knew her recipe wouldn’t disappoint.

Sure it took me two hours slaving away in the kitchen but the end result was quite pretty. And it didn’t taste too bad either.

Because my Grandma is one of the hippest around, she is all over emails and the internet and whatnot. So she emailed me a very detailed recipe to use and I just have to share it with you dear readers today. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s extensive.

Ingredients:
1 package fudge marble cake recipe [18-1/4 oz]
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk [instead of buying buttermilk, add either 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and stir] let set for about a minute [I do this before I start putting the cake batter together]
1 bottle [1 oz] red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat oven: 350
Grease[ or use a spray] and then coat with flour, 2- 9″ cake pans.
Combine cake mix [there are two packages in the box] and baking soda and stir.
Add eggs, buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla
BLEND on low until moistened.
BEAT on high for 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally
Pour into the cake pans [some people use a 9 by 13 baking dish, but the two layers are very pretty
BAKE 30-35 minutes [I check at 30, touch the top and if it bounces, it’s ready to come out]
COOL for 10 minutes BEFORE REMOVING from pans
BEFORE removing from pans to a wire cooling rack, I run a sharp knife around the edge and gently turn onto the racks.

****While cake is baking begin making the frosting

FROSTING:
5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup butter or margarine [softened/ room temp] [I zap in microwave about 10 seconds if I forget to set out the butter from refrig]
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a small bowl, put 2 T. of flour, ADD enough of the milk to make a thick paste, stirring all the time. Add more flour and then more milk, continuing to stir and add till all of milk/flour are in the mixture. [Reason: the flour has a tendency to lump if put it and milk together all at one time]

Put in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil,[medium heat] STIRRING CONSTANTLY. It will thicken quickly and resemble a custard [ if slightly lumpy--not to worry:)]

Remove from heat. Stir. Cover. Refrigerate [ I put mine in freezer and stir every two or three minute till LUKEWARM to COOL.]

WHILE COOLING:
in mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
ADD chilled milk mixture and BEAT[ on high] 10 minutes, till fluffly.
ADD vanilla, stir
FROST between layers and top and sides. [I often frost only between the layers and top. Makes it very pretty by showing the “red velvet.” Also, makes a thicker frosting between the one layer and the top.

Enjoy!