A Cake Worthy of 35 Years

My daughter reminded me of years ago when we visited "The Bubble Room", a very quirky and famous restaurant in Orlando. Jim ordered red velvet cake, which was so huge we all had some, and it was probably the best piece of cake any of us had ever eaten.

Jaime suggested we find that recipe for an anniversary cake. She looked it up online and found it, though the original Bubble Room is gone. AND...she made the cake for us on the day after our big day. Wow. After I got over the shock of spending almost $5 for red food coloring, and buying two pounds of confectioner's sugar for the frosting plus a pound of cream cheese and untold amounts of butter...it was truly a spectacular cake. I am giving you the recipe, and urging you to make it. But this must be for something super-special, not just dessert for Sunday!

3 3/4 c. self-rising flour
2 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp cocoa
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
2 1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. red food coloring (this is NOT a typo)
16 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 c. butter
2 lb powdered sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350°
Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add eggs, vinegar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring and mix well.
Spoon into three greased and floured 9" cake pans.
Bake 45-60 minutes or until layers pull away from the sides of the pans. (Check after 45 minutes, they will probably be done then).
After cooling 10 minutes, remove the cakes to wire racks to cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and butter in mixer until fluffy.
Slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporate and smooth. (Personally, I'd increase the pecans by a cup, and add them into the frosting here, but Bubble Room doesn't do that)
Layer the frosting between each layer of cake, and liberally over the top and sides. Top with chopped pecans.
*Recipe courtesy of the Fort Myers Junior League