Simple Red Velvet Cake

Total Time: 33 mins Preparation Time: 8 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• shortening, for greasing the baking pans
• flour, for dusting the baking pans
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package german chocolate cake mix (with or without pudding)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, well sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 cake:.
• 2 move oven rack to center of oven.
• 3 preheat to 350 degrees.
• 4 grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening, then sprinkle with flour.
• 5 remove excess flour.
• 6 set pans aside.
• 7 place cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.
• 8 mix with electric mixer on low for 1-2 minutes. stop.
• 9 scrape sides of bowl.
• 10 mix on medium speed for 2-3 additional minutes.
• 11 divide batter among the prepared cake pans.
• 12 place pans in oven.
• 13 bake cakes about 25-30 minutes.
• 14 remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
• 15 run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and turn each layer upside down onto a wire rack, then turn the cakes right side up on another rack.
• 16 cool completely, 30-45 minutes.
• 17 frosting:.
• 18 place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl.
• 19 mix with an electric mixer on low, about 30-45 seconds. stop mixer.
• 20 add confectioner's sugar a little bit at a time, mixing on low speed until the sugar is well mixed, 1-2 minutes.
• 21 add the vanilla.
• 22 mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 1-2 more minutes.
• 23 place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter or cake plate.
• 24 spread top with the frosting.
• 25 put second layer, on top of first layer and frost the top and sides.