Velvet Freedom Cake  

What You Need: 

1/2 C of shortening 

1 1/2 C of sugar 

2 eggs 

3 t white vinegar 

1 t butter flavoring 

4 t vanilla extract, divided 

2 1/2 C of cake flour 

1/4 C of baking cocoa 

1 t baking soda 

1 t salt 

1 C of buttermilk 

1 (1 oz.) bottle of red food coloring 

1/2 (1 oz.) bottle of blue food coloring 

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 

1/2 C butter, room temperature 

3 3/4 C of confectioners’ sugar 

How to Make It: 

Preset the oven temperature to 350 degrees. 

Cream together the shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl. 

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well blended. 

Beat in the vinegar, butter flavoring and 1 t of vanilla extract. 

In a separate bowl combine the cake flour, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt. 

Alternating between the dry mixture and the buttermilk add to the cream mixture blending together well. 

Remove 1/3 of the batter to a separate bowl. 

Tint the smaller amount of batter with the blue food coloring. 

Tint the larger amount of batter with the red food coloring. 

Grease and lightly flour 3 round 9 inch baking pans. 

Pour the red batter into two pans and the blue batter into the remaining pan. 

Bake 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes in the pans. 

Remove the cakes from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Blend the cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl. 

Add the confectioners' sugar and remaining vanilla and beat until creamy. 

Place one red layer of cake on a cake platter. 

Spread the cake top with frosting. 

Add the blue cake layer and spread with the frosting. 

Add the second red cake layer to the top and frost the top and sides of the cake. 

Makes 12 servings