1/2 c shortening Cake: 1.5 c sugar 2 eggs 2 oz red food color 2 T cocoa 2.5 c flour 1 t salt 1 t baking soda 1 t baking powder 1 T vinegar 1 t vanilla 1 c buttermilk Icing: 3 t flour 1 c sugar 1 c milk 1 t vanilla 2 sticks butter

Cake: Cream shortening, sugar and eggs until fluffy. Make paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to mixture. Beat well. Add alternately flour and buttermilk; then add vanilla and salt. Combine vinegar and baking soda in a small cup and add to cake mixture. Pour into 2 8-9" pans (buttered and dusted with cocoa). Drop pans before baking. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool cake before frosting. Start icing below while cake is baking. Icing: Cook flour and milk until thick. Cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and add vanilla. Combine with the cooled milk/flour mixture and beat until fluffy. Frost the middle and top of cake only.