Dedi's Red Velvet Cake

Cream together: 1 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 C shortening.  Add 2 eggs

Mix together 2 C + 2 T flour, 12 T cocoa powder
Add: dash of salt, 1 C buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla

Mix together: 1 T vinegar, 1 tsp baking soda
Add: 1 oz of red food coloring & 1 oz water (Just fill empty food coloring bottle to measure the water.

Combine 1 - 3  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour cake into 2-9" round cake pans.  Bake 25 - 30 minutes.

Tip: use Crisco and floured cake pans for easy removal

Frosting:

Cook on medium heat: 1 C milk, 1/4 C flour stirring constantly until thick, then put in fridge to LET COOL.

Cream together: 1 stick of butter, 1/2 C Crisco, 1 C sugar and t tsp vanilla.

When cake has been removed from pan and cool.  Mix both parts of frosting together.  Frost and top with shredded coconut if desired.