Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm sort of embarassingly proud of these.

If you are interested in making strawberry-looking cake pops yourself, I highly recommend using this cake and frosting, finding yourself a good assistant (thanks future Mr. Waterboiler!), setting aside an afternoon, and visiting Many Sweet Sisters for an excellent tutorial.  -- The Waterboiler

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted slightly from Pinch My Salt

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
2 T. unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 oz. Red Food Coloring
1 C. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 t. Vanilla Extract
1 C. Buttermilk
1 t. White Vinegar
1 t. Baking Soda
16 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
2 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
Pinch of Salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans or the equivalent pans you have on hand.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix the food coloring and cocoa powder as well as you can; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 C. butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in 1 t. vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk.  Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk.  End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

Make sure your cake pans are ready to go.  In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda so that it fizzes.  Working quickly, add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine.  Pour batter into your cake pans and place them in your preheated oven.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan.

While cakes are cooling, prepare your frosting.  To begin with, you may want to soften your remaining 1/2 C. Butter.  Then, blend cream cheese and butter together until smooth.  Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt, and 1 t. vanilla.  Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy.  If your cake is cool by now, frost!