Red Burgundy Velvet Cake

After a couple conversations about Christmas dinner it was determined that the Hubs and I (read I) would bring dessert, more specifically a Red Velvet Cake. I've been wanting to make a Red Velvet cake for quite sometime now and after seeing this tasty cake on Playing House I was dead set on making one... sans the cheesecake though, because I knew I'd have no time.
Christmas Eve Eve I went I stopped by Sur La Table on my lunch break, in attempt to find true red food coloring. The 'red' I had a hope was 'mauve'. Sadly all I could find was 'burgandy', but I did find a super cute cake tester and the cake caddy I've had my eye on.

After a quick Google search to find a winning Red Velvet Cake recipe I decided on this recipe on the Food Network website by Cakeman Raven.

Red Burgundy Velvet Cake

Recipe by Cakeman Raven found here

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red burgundy food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions
1 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

2 - In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

3 - Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

4 - Divide the cake batter evenly 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.

5 - 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.

6 - Frost the cake

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks maragarine (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1 - In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated.

2 - Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

3 - Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally).

4 - Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. (May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.)