I just made a red velvet cake for the first time. It didn't rise very much at all. I baked them in 8 inch pans and both are barely 1 inch tall. Is this normal? I am making it for a friends anniversary tomorrow. It's her favorite and her hubby asked me to make one but asked me to make it from scratch and not a box. Normally I make cake mixes and don't have much experience with scratch cakes. It is cooling now but I am worried about it. I think I must have done something wrong. I am about ready to go by DH or BC and make another one. They will probably never know the difference but I can't lie about it if they ask me.

HELP!

Would you like me to send you a great recipe for red velvet cake?

Actually - I have to run - and since you seem to be in crunch time, I will just post it here - it works (very well):

¼ Cup red food coloring (must be the liquid supermarket variety)
2 Tbs. + ½ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ Cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 ¼ Cups cake flour
1 Cup buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar (get in any supermarket)
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9x2 round cake pans and line with wax paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the food coloring, cocoa power, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Give it a good beating about 5 minutes (remember that at this stage, its almost impossible to over-beat). Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add in the flour, a bit at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition begin and end with the flour, though. Add salt.

Beat in the cocoa mixture (scrape any remains into batter) until it is well incorporated.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter at the end and mix it in well.

Divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for about 10 minutes on the cooling rack. Remove from pans and let them cool completely on the wire racks.