1/3       Cup Butter

1/3       Cup Shortening

1 1/3   Cups Sugar

3          Eggs

1 2/3   Cups All Purpose Flour

2/3      tea spoon Soda

1/5      tea spoons salt

2 2/3  Tablespoons Cocoa

2/3     Cup Buttermilk, divided

2/3      tea spoon vanilla

2 2/3  Tablespoons of Red Food Coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 9-inch pans. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa and gradually add to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Add vanilla and food coloring. Blend well. Pour into pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost.

6 2/3    tablespoons of all purpose flour

1 1/3    cup milk

1 1/3    tablespoons of vanilla

1 1/3    cups butter , softened ( no substitutes)

1 1/3    cups granulated Sugar

With a whisk, combine flour and milk in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 4 minutes on high, stopping and whisking once every minute, until mixture is thickened and smooth.

Cover mixture with transparent wrap and refrigerate until cool. (If cooking in saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and smooth.)

Beat together on high speed of electric mixer the vanilla, softened butter and sugar about 5 minutes, until really fluffy. Then add the cold flour-milk mixture and beat on high speed at least 10 minutes. (This is very important; after 5 minutes it will be grainy, but after 10 minutes, it will be smooth.) Frost layers and top of cake