Blue Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour the bottom only of a 9x13"cake pan or grease and flour the bottom and sides of 2, 8" round cake pans.

Place all ingredients for the cake, EXCEPT the food coloring, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined.

Add food coloring (it is important to use gel type). Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides. Pour into prepared baking pan(s). Gently tap pan(s) on counter a couple times to knock out air bubbles.

Place in oven. Bake 29-34 minutes for 9x13"pan or minutes for 8" round pans (toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean).

Remove from oven. For 9x13 let cool completely in pan. For round pans let cool 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release from pan, and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting:

Place butter, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until combined and beginning to "fluff". About 2 minutes.

Turn off mixer, scrape down sides. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, fully combining and scraping down sides after each addition. Add a small pinch of salt with the final cup of sugar. If frosting seems too thick to spread you can beat in a little milk 1 tsp at a time.

To frost 9x13"cake: Spread entire batch evenly over cake. To frost 8" round cake: Place one cake on serving platter. Spread 1/3 of batch on top only. Place second cake directly on top of first. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides to coat as evenly as possible.

See notes below

If you are using dark or nonstick cake pans bake at 325F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (usually about 5 more minutes than regular time).