1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. red food coloring
2 tsp. cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar

Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste of the cocoa and food coloring. Add to the mixture. Add buttermilk with salt, alternate with the cake flour. Add vanilla. Lastly, fold in baking soda that has been mixed with a teaspoon of vinegar. Beat as for any cake, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes in layer pans. Cool, split in two (if necessary) and frost.

WALDORF FROSTING:

4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup (2 sticks) butter

Cook flour and milk until thick, stirring constantly. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until as fluffy as possible. Blend the cream mixture into the cool flour-milk mixture, which by now should be like cold oatmeal. Spread between layers and on top.

Submitted by: Nancy Dusterfeld