1. Preheat Oven and Prep Pans:2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment. Flour the pans, tapping out excess.3. 4. Sift Dry Ingredients:5. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and natural cocoa powder. Whisk to combine.6. 7. Mix Wet Ingredients:8. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, room-temperature buttermilk, room-temperature large eggs, red gel food coloring, white vinegar, and vanilla extract.9. 10. Combine Batter:11. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed (or whisk by hand) until just combined. Do not overmix; stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear.12. 13. Bake the Layers:14. Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.15. 16. Cool Completely:17. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let them cool completely to room temperature.18. 19. Start the Frosting:20. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the room-temperature cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and completely smooth (about 2-3 minutes).21. 22. Add Sugar and Finish:23. Reduce speed to low. Sift the powdered sugar directly into the bowl in 2-3 additions, mixing until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and salt.24. 25. Beat Until Fluffy:26. Increase speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes until it is very creamy and fluffy.27. 28. Assemble the Cake:29. Place one cooled cake layer on your serving plate. Top with a generous layer of frosting. Add the second cake layer, top-side down, to create a flat surface.30. 31. Crumb Coat and Chill:32. Apply a very thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake to trap crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.33. 34. Final Frosting:35. Frost the top and sides of the chilled cake with the remaining frosting. Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.