2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 oz. red food coloring
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix food coloring with cocoa powder to make paste. Let stand.

Cream shortening with sugar. Add eggs and color paste and beat well. Add buttermilk, cake flour, salt and vanilla and beat well. Remove mixer blade and add vinegar and baking soda. Mix with a wooden spoon. Pour into 8 or 9-inch layer pans (2 pans).

Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Cool and frost.

FROSTING (For the Red Velvet Cake):

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

Cook flour and milk until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Cool. Cream together sugar, butter and shortening and add flour mixture and vanilla. Beat 12 minutes to a spreading consistency.

Spread frosting on 2 layer Red Velvet Cake.