Rumor has it that this recipe originated at the Waldorf-Astoria. When a patron asked for it, the chef was more than pleased to give her the recipe, but a $250 charge was added to her bill. The woman paid the bill and vowed to give the recipe to everyone she knew!
Difficulty: Average
Make Ahead
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Cake
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2-1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 ounces red food color
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream 1/2 cup shortening and 1-1/2 cups sugar together.
- Add eggs and beat until fluffy (about 10 minutes).
- Sift together 2-1/2 cups flour, cocoa and 1 teaspoon salt 3 times.
- Mix buttermilk and food color together, and add alternately with the flour to shortening and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
- Mix vinegar and baking soda, and carefully stir into batter.
- Pour into 2 greased and floured 9″ cake pans, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Cook milk and 1/4 cup flour over medium heat until thick.
- Cool.
- Beat 1 cup sugar, 1 cup shortening, 1/2 teaspoon salt and vanilla until fluffy (about 10 minutes).
- Add milk to sugar mix, and beat until light and fluffy (about 15 minutes).
- Spread over cooled cake.