Here's my mother's recipe for Red Velvet Cake: Cream together 1/2 c. Crisco and 1 1/2 c. Sugar. Add 2 eggs, 2 T. cocoa, 1 tsp. Vanilla, 2 oz. Red food coloring. Sift together 2 1/2 c. Cake flour, 1 tsp. Salt. Mix 1 c. Buttermilk with first mixture. Beat well. Fold in 1 tsp. Soda and 1 T. vinegar. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Icing: cook together 1 c. Milk & 3 T. flour; cool. Cream 1 c. Butter & 1 c. White sugar. Add to milk and flour mixture and beat.