Beautiful Red Velvet Cake

This is probably the prettiest red velvet cake I have ever seen. I definitely want to give this recipe a try.

Stolen from the Domestic Goddess

	For the Cake:
	2 ¼ cups - sifted, then measured - cake flour
	2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
	1 teaspoon baking powder
	1 teaspoon baking soda
	½ teaspoon salt
	1 cup buttermilk
	½ teaspoon red paste food coloring
	1 teaspoon white vinegar
	1 teaspoon vanilla extract
	1 ½ cups granulated sugar
	½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
	2 large eggs
	For the Frosting:
	2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
	½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
	1 tablespoon vanilla extract
	2 ½ cups confectioner's sugar
	about 1 cup fresh blackberries
	about 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced in half
	about 3 cups fresh blueberries

directions:

The Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter, line with parchment, butter and flour again one deep 10-inch-diameter cake pan.

2. Sift already sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.

3. Whisk the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend.

4. Beat sugar and butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions.

5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 - 40 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for about 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.

Frosting:
1. Place cooled cake in freezer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

2. Slice cake into 2 even layers. Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top. Arrange ½ of the blueberries, ½ of the blackberries and ½ of the strawberries on top of the frosting, pressing lightly to adhere. Top with second cake layer, flat side up again. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake - smoothing to a nice finish. Arrange remaining berries decoratively over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before serving.)

after-thoughts:

I would spend the money on clear vanilla for the icing for this cake - it will look much less bland with white icing as compared to the look of the slightly yellowed icing that vanilla contributes to.

recipe origin: Based on a Bon Appétit, June 2003 recipe and a Martha Stewart Recipe