This is one of my favorite cakes. I was first introduced to this beautiful cake by my lovely mother-in-law. She's been making it for years and got it from Willard Scott. Not personally, but from a magazine :)
-2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
-1/4 cup red food coloring (2) 1 oz. bottles
-1 cup buttermilk
-1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-1 tsp Hershey cocoa powder
-1 tsp white vinegar
-2 Lg. eggs
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer. Spray three 9" round cake pans with Pam. Bake for 20 minutes.
ICING/Frosting (whichever you prefer to call it!)
1 1/3 sticks butter, softened
10 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1 box confectioners sugar
2 cups pecans OR walnuts, crushed
Combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat till fluffy. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Decorate with the other 1/2 cup nuts. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
**I also want to mention that this cake won me 3rd place in the Sugar Plum Fairy contest. A photo of my cake was in the newspaper, of course I was the only one that knew it was my cake, but nonetheless, that is my claim to fame :-)
