Hershey's Red Velvet Cake

Hershey's excellent version of the classic red velvet chocolate cake.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
2 tablespoons (one (1-ounce) bottle) red food color
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 (16-ounce) can ready-to-spread vanilla frosting
HERSHEY'S MINI CHIPS Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour 13 x 9-inch baking pan.**
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl; add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
3. Stir together buttermilk and food color.
4. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; add alternately to butter mixture with buttermilk mixture, mixing well. Stir in baking soda and vinegar. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
6. Frost; garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

*To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

**Cake can also be baked in two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Variation: For Heart Shapes: Using open-topped heart-shaped cookie cutter (at least 1 1/2-inches deep and 3-inches wide), cut cake into 12 hearts. Frost and decorate as directed.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens, and reprinted with permission of The Hershey Company. © The Hershey Company.