Moist Red Velvet Cake

This moist, tender red velvet cake is paired with an old fashioned boiled ermine frosting. It's decadent and super delicious!

2 cups water
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, sliced
1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 bottles (1 1/2 oz) red food coloring

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with chocolate pan coat and lining the bottom with parchment paper (if using two piece pan, also fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). In a medium saucepan, bring water, butter, and cocoa powder to a boil then remove from heat. In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Pour in cocoa mixture and stir until combined. Add remaining wet ingredients and stir together until ingredients are fully incorporated. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out nearly clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle, then use a thin spatula to release the sides of the cake.  Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. (If using two-piece pan, invert the entire cake without separating the pieces). Let cool completely.

Ermine Frosting

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chopped pecans, to decorate

Can be done ahead: Whisk together sugar and flour in a medium saucepan, then set over medium heat and gradually whisk in milk. Continue whisking constantly, making sure to scrape the bottom, until mixture almost comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Press plastic wrap into the top of the mixture and let cool to room temperature. When ready to frost, beat butter until creamy and add flour mixture gradually. (To cool flour mixture down quickly, beat on medium in the bowl of a stand mixer for 10-15 minutes, then beat in butter a few tablespoons at a time). Apply to cake using the back of a spoon to frost inside the tube hole. Decorate with chopped pecans.