I’ve had many good tasting red velvet cakes, but my Grandma’s has always been the gold standard for me!

She always had a delicious spread of food every Thanksgiving, but my favorites were always her desserts.

I could always count on pumpkin pie, red velvet cake, and German chocolate cake. She had lovingly prepared them ahead of time. She placed them well wrapped into the freezer for Thanksgiving Day.

The cake was always perfectly moist. That cream cheese pecan frosting was the stuff that Thanksgiving dreams are made of.

Grandma’s Red Velvet Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup red food coloring (I only use 2 Tablespoons)

2 teaspoons Hershey’s Cocoa

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tsp vinegar

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

(I highly recommend that you double the frosting)

8 oz cream cheese

1 box powdered sugar

1 stick margarine (or butter)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream sugar & butter. Add eggs and mix well. Add food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Mix vinegar, soda, and buttermilk in a separate small bowl- add alternately with flour to cream mixture. Pour into greased round cake pans (I divide it into 3 pans). Bake till set.

Frosting:

Mix all frosting ingredients (except pecans) till smooth. Add pecans. Mix well and frost cooled cakes!