Very fun cake to make. Most recipes for red velvet cake call for 2oz. of red food coloring. That’s 2 bottles of food coloring!! 2 tablespoons is plenty for this one. Such a pretty cake and who can resist cream cheese frosting?

Cake
1 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Crisco Shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs (room temp)
2 Tbls red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Use mixer: Cream sugar, shortening and vanilla; add one egg at a time and beat well. Make paste of food coloring and cocoa; add to mixer bowl. Add flour, salt and buttermilk and beat. Combine vinegar and baking soda in a separate bowl and then add to mixer bowl. Beat until smooth and well mixed.
Bake 350, for approx 25 minutes until done. I used two 9 inch cake pans for this.

Frosting
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbls. of milk (to thin)
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Turn mixer to low speed and blend in vanilla, powdered sugar and salt. Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy.