Red Velvet Cake (Of Urban Legend Fame) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cake
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon adams best vanilla
1 teaspoon adams butter flavor extract
1 (1 1/2 ounce) bottle adams red food coloring
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons adams best vanilla
1/4 teaspoon adams butter flavor extract

Preparation

Begin making the cake: cream shortening, sugar, eggs, flavors.
Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring, add to first mixture.
Alternately add flour and buttermilk.
Mix soda and vinegar in small bowl; add to batter; blend.
Bake in 3-9\" or 10\" pans for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees; let cool completely
Make frosting: cook milk, flour, salt, until thick; stirring constantly; let cool.
Cream shortening and sugar very well; add flavors - combine with the first mixture; beat well.
Cover cake with frosting.
Tell legend while serving.
Reference: Brunvand, \"The Vanishing Hitchhiker,\" NY: WW Norton, 1981, 154-160; more information coming in Brunvand,\"The Brain Drain and other Timely Tales\" Urbana: Univ of Ill Press, 1999.
The Adams products, of course, may be substituted if you do not live in Texas or nearby where they are sold.
Note from Julie: for St. Patrick's Day, substitute *green* food coloring and make Green Velvet Cake! Or during Halloween, mix red and yellow to make orange.