1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cream Cheese Icing – see below
Garnish: chopped pecans, slighty toasted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 8-inch cake pans.
Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in food coloring and vanilla, blending well. Combine flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside. Combine buttermilk, vinegar, and soda in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. (Mixture will bubble.) Add flour mixture to shortening mixture, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes; pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
Cream Cheese Icing
1 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 box plus 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using a mixer, blend all of the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top of cake. Garnish with chopped pecans.
