• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two 8" cake pans or three 6" cake pans with shortening and a light dusting of flour or cocoa powder.
• Have the ingredients at room temperature before starting this recipe.
• Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside, cake flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
  2 2/3 Cups Cake Flour, 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda, Pinch Salt
• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until the sugar is well dissolved. Approximately 4 minutes.
  1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, 1 ½ Cups Superfine White Sugar
• Continue mixing and add the eggs one at a time, mixing between to blend.
  2 Large Eggs
• Then add the vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk, and red food coloring. Continue mixing 1-2 more minutes until smooth.
  1 Cup Vegetable Oil, 1 Teaspoon White Vinegar, 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 1 Cup Buttermilk, 2 1/2 Teaspoons Red Food Coloring
• Finally add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. You might see a few small lumps yet, that is okay. It is best not to over mix the batter.
• Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check with a toothpick inserted into the middle at 25 minutes. If it comes out clean, remove the cakes. If not, let them continue baking rechecking them every 5 minutes. It is important not to overbake as the cake will be too dry.
• Let cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Then slide a knife or offset spatula around the inside of the pans to loosen the cake from the pan and place the cakes on a wire rack.

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter for 2-3 minutes.
  14 Ounces Cream Cheese, 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
• Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The frosting should be light and smooth.
  1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cake Assembly

• After the cakes are completely cool, trim off the domes of your cakes to make them flat. Save the cake domes that you cut off to use as decorating crumbs.
• Place your first layer on a cake board or large flat plate. Add a large scoop of the cream cheese frosting and spread it onto your cake layer using an offset spatula. I make my frosting about 1/4″ thick between the cake layers. Then place another layer of cake on top.
• Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, this will seal in the crumbs. Freeze cake for 20 minutes to harden the crumb coat.
• Add the final layer of frosting to the chilled cake.
• Add the cake filling crumble to the sides or top of the cake as a decoration.
• If you are feeling fancy, add additional frosting decorations such as a few dollops of frosting to the top with a piping bag.