Serves: 8.

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 tbsp. cocoa
2 oz. (2 bottles) red food coloring
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. real buttermilk
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. vinegar

FLOUR FROSTING:

3 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1 c. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together sugar, shortening, and eggs. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring, and add to creamed mixture. Beat well. Mix salt and vanilla with buttermilk. Add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Mix soda and vinegar and fold into creamed mixture. DO NOT BEAT, FOLD! Grease and flour 2 round cake pans. Pour cake batter into pans evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool.

Frost with Flour Frosting: Shake flour and milk together. Cook in a saucepan until thick paste, stirring constantly. Let cool. Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Beat to consistency of whipped cream. Spread between sliced layers of red velvet cake (2 round cake pans make 4 layers) and on top. Garnish with chopped walnuts, Maraschino cherries, etc.