Pecan Crunch Red Velvet Cake

cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz red food coloring (more or less as desired)
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

frosting:
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese , softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 lb box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease-flour two (9 inch) cake pans.
Cake: In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and frothy. Add one egg, beat, add second egg, and beat until blended well.
With beaters running slow, start alternating adding the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then more flour, then more buttermilk, until all is blended.
Add the food coloring and vinegar, beat.
Add vanilla, beat.
Turn the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes (in center rack of oven) until middle of cake springs back when touched.
Remove and let sit at room temperature for 3 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:  In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy, then add the vanilla and beat until blended.
With rubber spatula, stir in pecans.
Set one layer of cake on serving plate.  Frost top of first layer with frosting, set second layer of cake on top, and continue frosting the cake.