Red Velvet Cake

For St. Valentine's Day, my husband made a lovely dinner: a simple wedge salad topped with crispy bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing; followed by scallops with a spicy chipotle sauce, fresh tomato, and avocado slices. The least I could do was make a tasty dessert. I'll admit, I was a bit selfish in electing to make a red velvet cake because it's my favorite, but it does seem like an ideal cake for Valentine's Day. Doesn't it?

Ingredients:
Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon special dark cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease 2 9-inch cake pans.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa's, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Alternate beating in flour mixture and buttermilk, until well combined. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla.
Spread the batter evenly in pans.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy; beat in vanilla. Use to fill and frost cake.

Optional:
Combine semisweet chocolate and heavy cream in a double boiler. Whisk until smooth, then cool and use to spread on top of cake or to dip fruit for decoration.