Jenny Lee is the winner of  Contest #7: The Best Dessert for Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Etc. Days. We loved  her story that her great-aunt bought this recipe for what would have been a zillion depression-era dollars. And, of course, we loved her Red Velvet Cake recipe.  Honorable mention goes to Brandy Bates for her Mile High Chocolate Cake that she said  ”will make your husband forget just how much you spent on those really cute new shoes that just could not live without.”

RED VELVET CAKE

Family legend says my great-aunt Myra Lee bought this recipe during the Depression for $80 in Chicago. It looks deceptively easy. Its not, especially the icing, which requires constant attention. But it is well-worth the time and effort to make this amazing cake. Enjoy.

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 oz. food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cup Cake flour
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp soda

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CAKE

1) CREAM shortening, sugar & eggs (this is your Short Mixture).

2) PASTE food coloring & cocoa.

3) MIX vanilla, salt, buttermilk, cake flour, vinegar, soda.

4) ADD your Short Mixture along w/Paste of food coloring and cocoa. Don’t beat hard, just blend in.

5) BAKE 30 minutes in 2-9 inch pan at 350 degrees.

6) COOL and SPLIT each layer in half.
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