Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• Red gel food coloring

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 2 cups and 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (*sift before measuring)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting

• 3 heaping tablespoons flour

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps

1. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of flour and 1 cup of to a small pot

2. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and is slightly translucent

3. Remove from heat and cool completely to room temperature for 2 hours or more

4. Cream 1 stick of butter with 1 ½ cups of sugar until light and fluffy in a stand mixer

   1. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed

5. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition

6. Add in the red food coloring, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and mix again

   1. Add as much red food coloring as you need, could be 2 tablespoons

7. Sift the 2 cups and 3 tablespoons of sifted and measured flour with the salt and baking powder (yes, you will end up sifting the flour two times in total)

8. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the buttermilk, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed

9. Prepare three 8 inch round cake pans by liberally greasing each pan with butter, lining with a round sheet of parchment paper cut to the size of the bottom of the pan, and coating all sides with flour

10. Divide the cake batter in 3 equal parts in each of the prepared cake pans

11. Spread the cake batter as smooth as possible across the top with a rubber spatula

12. Bake the cakes in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean

13. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely on wire racks

After the cakes cool, prepare the frosting

14. Cream 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened butter with 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is light, fluffy and white

15. Add in the cooled flour mixture from steps 1 through 3 and beat again until smooth

    1. It is better to overbeat the frosting rather than underbeat it otherwise it could turn out lumpy and have large sugar pieces

For the cake assembly

16. Spread a small dollop of frosting in the center of a large, round, flat dish or platter

17. Place the first layer of cake centered on top of the frosting and platter

18. Spread some frosting on top of the first layer of cake

19. Place the second layer of cake directly on top of the frosting, lining up with the first layer of cake

20. Spread some frosting on top of the second layer of cake

21. Place the third layer of cake directly on top of the frosting, lining up with the second and first layers of the cake

22. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake in an even layer

23. Store the cake covered and air tight in the fridge until ready to serve

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