Need a Red Velvet recipe asap!

[Silverrose]

My sil's baby shower is this weekend, and I for some reason volunteered to make a dessert. One of her favorite cake flavors is red velvet. So I want to make the most to die for red velvet cupcakes. I have never made red velvet anything before because I have just been so intimidated by the flavor and scared to screw it up. So if anyone has the most amazing recipe for it (and frosting too!) I would be forever grateful!

 

[Dusty Foot Prints]

FoodNetwork.com has a lot of them... I like Paula Deen's the best.. I think its her grandmother's or aunt's recipe. I usually make it for my husband for his birthday.

 

[Laurie]

the red velvet cake I make is the Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake. IMO it has the best frosting as it's the buttercream and not cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa (heaping)
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar


FROSTING
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup butter (must be butter)

Directionsrep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
1 Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. 2 Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa. 3 Add to creamed mixture. 4 Add buttermilk alternating with flour and salt. 5 Add vanilla. 6 Add soda to vinegar, and blend into the batter. 7 Pour into 3 or 4 greased and floured 8" cake pans. 8 Bake at 350°F for 24-30 minutes. 9 Split layers fill and frost with the following frosting. 10 Frosting: Add milk to flour slowly, avoiding lumps. 11 Cook flour and milk until very thick, stirring constantly. 12 Cool completely. 13 Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. 14 Add to cooked mixture. 15 Beat, high speed, until very fluffy. 16 Looks and tastes like whipped cream. Frost all layers liberally. I also add crushed walnuts to the tops and sides but the nuts are optional

 

[Silverrose]

I know I could look up a recipe online, but I want a tried and true recipe that someone can actually vouch is delish! But if you say that one on foodnetwork is pretty good, I will try it out if no one else has any other suggestions.

ETA: Thanks Laurie! (We posted at the same time =p) Any other versions are still appreciated. I could try them all eventually!

 

[Silverrose]

Laurie, I used your recipe for the baby shower. They were such a hit! They were gone so fast! And everyone especially loved the frosting. OMG, you were not kidding about it... it is sooooo delicious! Here's some pics!

I added a lil white chocolate on top for an extra fancy look lol.

 

[Laurie]

OMG Therese they look amazing! I love the white chocolate shavings on top! I see you took my advice and they look nice a dark--yay! I might have to do some cupcakes with this recipe.

I definitely prefer white I call the original buttercream frosting for this cake and not the cream cheese frosting. To me I like cream cheese frosting on carrot cake and pumpkin squares--must be a spice thing for me lol!

I'm glad they turned out so well!