Red Velvet Cake

One of Brit's absolute favorites!  She and I would make this cake off and on and, sometimes, the icing nearly ran off the cake!  Frustrating right, Brit?  After a while we gave up and asked Mama to make the cake -- she was the only one that did it perfectly every time.  The secret when making the icing is:  make sure the butter has only softened a little and the Crisco is cold (measure the Crisco and stick it in frig while mixing the cake so that by the time you make the icing, it's cold -- absolutely necessary if making this cake in the Summer).  The frosted cake needs to be stored in a cool place -- not necessarily in the Winter, but definitely in Summer.  Brit loves red velvet so much that she looks for many different recipes -- i.e., red velvet cookies, cheesecake.  Mama passed this recipe to us a long time ago -- it's a keeper!  Just a lot of little steps, but worth it in the end.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food color
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups sifted flour (sift and remeasure)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

Using an electric mixer -- cream together the following:
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

In a small bowl mix by hand:
2 ounces of red food color
1 tablespoon cocoa mix (found in baking isle of grocery store)
Add to creamed mixture above.

Add Alternating: (beginning and ending with the flour)
2 1/2 cups sifted flour (that has been sifted and remeasured to exactly 2 1/2 cups)
*1 cup buttermilk that you've added 1 teaspoon salt
So begin mixing flour into the creamed Crisco mixture above, then add a little buttermilk, again a little more flour and so on.  The last addition will be the remainder of the flour.

Mix together and add by hand:  Do not beat above mixture after adding below
1 1/2 teaspoons soda with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar.

Pour above mixture into 3 well-greased and flour round cake pans or a 9 x 12 x 2 sheet cake pan.

Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes for round cakes and approximately 40 minutes for the sheet cake.  You must test the cake by sticking center with a toothpick or cake tester making sure it comes out clean before removing cake from oven.  Cool completely on cake racks.

*Note:  If you don't have buttermilk, you don't have to run out and buy it.  Simply measure 1 tablespoon of acid -- e.g., white vinegar or lemon juice into a one-cup measuring cup (use a liquid measuring cup).  Add milk to fill the cup.  Let stand for 5 - 10 minutes.  There are other substitutions too.  You can google in case you want to try the others. Works perfectly!

Ingredients for Icing:
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (whole milk)

1 stick butter (take out of frig to soften just a little prior to making the icing)
1/2 cup Crisco -- make sure this has been in frig prior to using
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan -- measure 5 tablespoons flour and slowly whisk in the 1 cup whole milk -- trying to get the mixture free of lumps.  Cook until thick.  Set aside to cool completely.

Using your electric mixer, cream:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream the butter mixture and add to this the cooked mixture -- beating just enough until mixture is smooth.  Do not overbeat or icing will be runny.