1 c. butter
1/2 c. Crisco
3 c. sugar
5 eggs
1 c. milk
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. red food coloring
2 tsp. green food coloring

EQUIPMENT:

Measuring utensils
Mixing utensils
Large mixing bowl
Two small mixing bowls
10" tube pan, greased & floured

In the large mixing bowl, cream butter (butter) and Crisco. Add sugar gradually. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Add flavoring. Blend thoroughly. (This mixture will be referred to as the white batter.)

Put one cup of the white batter into one of the small bowls and add red food coloring; mix well. Put another cup of the white batter into the other small bowl and add green food coloring; mix well. The remaining white batter will be put in the tube pan, a third at a time. The three batters (white, red, green) are layered in the pan as follows:

Spread one third of the white batter around the bottom of the pan.

Put all of the red batter into the pan and spread carefully over the white batter.

Put another third of the white batter in the pan and spread carefully over the red batter.

Put all of the green batter into the pan and spread carefully over the white batter.

Finally, put the last third of the white batter in the pan and spread carefully over the green batter.

DO NOT STIR the batter in the pan, as the cake will marble as it bakes.

Put the tube pan into a COLD oven (do not preheat) and turn on to 325 degrees; bake until done, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (CAUTION: If the oven has separate settings for preheat and bake, turn on the oven directly to BAKE.) Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.

Glaze with confectioners' icing (1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons milk) and garnish with maraschino cherries. The cut slices will reveal a very festive pattern. This cake is especially delicious served with peppermint ice cream.

For non-holiday times: Use 3 teaspoons of any food coloring to color two cups of the white batter, then layer in the tube pan as follows:

1. 1/2 of the white batter

2. All of the colored batter

3. Remaining 1/2 of the white batter and bake as directed above.