Red Velvet Cake- 8 to 10 servings.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon butter flavored extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2 9-inch or 3 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, mash together 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening with 1 1/2 cup of sugar until combined, then mix in the eggs, one at a time, stirring until the mixture is thoroughly blended.
Make a paste with the food coloring and the unsweetened cocoa powder, then stir it into the shortening mixture. It won’t look as dark as you think it should be, but red food coloring darkens as it sits.
Sprinkle in the salt, and mix in the flour in several additions, alternating with buttermilk. As you mix, sprinkle in the baking soda, then drizzle in the vinegar, butter extract, and vanilla extract. Stir just until the mixture is smooth. Pour into pans. Bake in the preheated oven until the cakes are set in the center and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
