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

1/2 c shortening 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 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.