Southern Raspberry Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients: 

• • Vegetable oil for the pans

  • 2 cups all-purpose sifted flour

  • 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries, powdered in a spice blender and sifted (2 1.5 Oz Packages From Trader Joes)

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

  • 1/2 cups shortening

  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Crushed pecans, for garnish

Directions:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 2 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

  2. Power freeze dried raspberries in spice blender, sift to remove seeds and measure out 1/2 cup.

  3. Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until very light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.

  4. In a separate bowl whisk together sifted flour, sifted coca powder, and sifted powered dried raspberries.

  5. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and buttermilk together.

  6. Add the flour to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

  7. Mix soda and vinegar with a fork in a separate bowl and gently fold into cake batter. Don't beat or stir the batter after this point. 

  8. Divide the cake batter evenly (use a scale) among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

  9. Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

  10. Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans