Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Cake:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Frosting:
1 1/3 cups 2 percent lowfat milk
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1 1/3 to 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Grease three 8-inch layer pans or two 9-inch layer pans; line bottoms with wax paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together vegetable shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour alternately with buttermilk; beat until blended. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa and food coloring together with a fork until smooth; add to batter and beat until evenly blended. In same small bowl, dissolve baking soda in vinegar and beat into batter. Pour into prepared pans and spread evenly; bake 8-inch layers 20 minutes or 9-inch layers 25 minutes, or until a tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Remove cakes from pans, peel off wax paper and finish cooling on racks.
3. To prepare the frosting, whisk milk and flour until flour dissolves. Pour into a small saucepan; cook and stir over low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until thick. Cool to room temperature.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth and creamy; beat in vanilla. Fill and frost cake. Serves 16.

Recipe by Jean Kressy, "Relish the American Table," Dec. 24, 2006.

Per serving: 400 calories, 23g fat, 5g prot., 47g carbs., 0g fiber, 300mg sodium.