1/2 c Shortening 2 1/2 c Cake flour
1 1/2 c Sugar 1 c Buttermilk
2 Eggs 2 ts Vanilla
2 oz Red food coloring 1 tb Vinegar
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
Recipe by: The Cook’s Book of Uncommon Recipes – ISBN 0-940367-14-9
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and dust with
flour. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, mix shortening and sugar together until they
are creamy, smooth and light. Add eggs one at a time and beat well
after each addition. In a separate small bowl, make a paste of the
red food coloring and cocoa. Add the cocoa paste to the egg mixture.
Mix flour and salt together. Mix buttermilk and vanilla together. Add
the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the
buttermilk mixture. Beat for 2 mins after all ingredients have been
added. Mix in the vinegar and baking soda.
Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake at 350 F for about 35 mins
or until the cakes pull away from the sides slightly. Turn the cakes
out onto cooling racks and cool completely.
Split each layer in half: Take a length of dental floss and loop it
around the layer. Cross the ends and pull. As you tighten the floss
it will gently cut through the layer and you will have 2 even halves.
Frost with butter cream frosting. (White is especially beautiful! The
contrast with the deep mahogany color of the cake is striking.)
Yields
1 servings