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1
Cut out circles of parchment paper to fit your cake pans.
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2
Butter two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with the 2 tablespoons butter.
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3
Place parchment circles inside pans and butter them.
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4
Crumb pans and knock out excess breadcrumbs leaving a thin layer of crumbs on bottom and sides of your pans.
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5
Preheat oven to 350F.
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6
Prepare ingredients: Combine red coloring and enough water to make 1/4 cup.
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7
In a small bowl whisk together color and cocoa powder.
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8
In another small bowl combine buttermilk and vanilla.
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9
BATTER: In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer beat together 1 stick butter and sugar until fluffy.Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
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10
Add salt and color mixture.
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11
Add flour in batches alternating with buttermilk mixture beginning and ending with flour.
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12
Stop and scrape sides when needed.
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13
Remember, overbeating flour makes the cake tough rather than fluffy.
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14
In another small bowl combine vinegar and baking soda and gently fold into batter.
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15
Divide into pans and create a depression in the center of batter to reduce doming.
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16
Bake layers in middle of oven 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of layers.
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17
Cool the layers inside pans, on cooling racks for 10 minutes.
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18
Remove paper and cool completely.
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19
Cut cakes horizontally across tops to achieve flat surfaces.
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20
This allows them to stack neatly.
