Southern Red Velvet Buttermilk Poundcake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hands on time: 25 minutes  Total time: 2 hours and 25 minutes  Serves: 16

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (1-ounce) bottle or 2 tablespoons red food coloring
3 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, slightly soft
8 ounces cream cheese
1 (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and food coloring. In another large bowl, combine the flour, salt and cocoa. Dissolve the baking soda in the vinegar and add to the buttermilk. Alternate stirring in the flour and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, 20 minutes or until cake is done and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan about 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a mixer using a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and cream until light and fluffy.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 569 calories (percent of calories from fat, 38), 6 grams protein, 83 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 24 grams fat (15 grams saturated), 142 milligrams cholesterol, 373 milligrams sodium.