Making The Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cake pans by lightly oiling and flouring them. If using round pans I like to put a piece of parchment paper in the bottom. If using a Bundt pan, just oil and flour, making sure to tap out the excess flour. Set aside.

2. Cream the shortening and sugar. Beat the eggs and add to the sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly.

3. Mix the salt and vanilla with the buttermilk. Alternately, add the flour and then the buttermilk mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix well after each addition. Add the cocoa and food coloring. Mix until well blended.

4. Mix the baking soda and vinegar together. Gently fold into the batter mixture (remember that this mixture will foam and grow so prepare it in a large enough container).

5. Bake for about 40 minutes. Allow to completely cool and then frost with the recipe that follows.

Making The Frosting:

1 cup Butter
1 cup Milk
1 cup Sugar
5 tablespoon Flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1. Cook the flour and milk in a saucepan until thick. Let cool.

2. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add to the cold flour mixture and beat until light and fluffy.

NOTE: Make sure your flour mixture is completely cold or it will melt your butter mixture and make the frosting runny.