Classic cake recipes from Mom

I almost feel like I'm revealing some family secret by sharing these recipes. : ) These recipes have been classics in our house since we were little. My mom stayed home with us in our growing up years and one thing she did on the side was make cakes for people. She's great at it! She took a cake decorating class and took off from there. She doesn't make decorated cakes as much any more, but she occassionally makes her caramel cake for special occassions. My favorite is her chocolate cake...yum! I don't have that recipe with me today, but I'll be sure to post it later...or maybe I already have. Oh, well...I'll have to go search for that one! : ) I'm including her red velvet recipe, too. There's never been a recipe that has compared to this one. Even in our favorite cupcake shop, my sister and I agreed that it just doesn't hold a candle to mom's. The batter is incredible, too. My sister and I used to fight over who would get to lick the bowl! : ) So, enough chit-chat...here are the recipes!

Red Velvet Cake
1 1/2 cups Wesson oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 oz. red food coloring

(frosting)
1 box 4x powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 8oz. cream cheese
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bake at 350 degrees in a greased and floured sheet cake pan. Frost with cream cheese icing. Enjoy! ( Sometimes, I only use 1 cup of Wesson oil...try it both ways and see how you like it best!).

Caramel Cake
1 cup Crisco
1 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
4 eggs (separated)
Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time. Slowly add flour and milk alternately. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in mixture. Bake in 3 greased and floured cake pans until done at 350 degrees.
(Burnt Caramel Icing)
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Put 3 cups sugar, milk, and butter in large boiler. Bring to a boil and let cook on medium heat. As soon as mixture starts to boil, heat small fry pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar slowly into pan as you stir and it melts to a golden syrupy color. Add to milk mixture that is on medium heat and stir until boils again. Test mixture for soft ball stage. When reached, pour mixture into large glass bowl, add vanilla, and mix with electric beaters until consistency is ready for icing cake layers.
This is a very tricky recipe...it has taken me lots of practice to get it right, but it is one of the best cakes ever! I put the cake layers in the freezer to cool them off, then ice them as soon as the icing is ready. Humidity affects the outcome sometimes...Good Luck!!

She isn't kidding about that tricky caramel cake! On more than one occassion I've seen Mom fighting that icing : ). It's always delicious, though!!

Enjoy! Stacey