Red Velvet Cake

[aka] blood cake was my favorite cake growing up and I have yet to perfect my mom's recipe, but here's how she makes it...

ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 oz. red food coloring
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar

cream together shortening, eggs, sugar, and vanilla
in a small bowl mix cocoa powder and red food coloring and add 1 oz. water (i usually refill the food coloring bottle with water and add it in)
add the cocoa/food coloring mixture to the creamed ingredients and mix
sift together the flour and salt
alternate in the flour and the buttermilk
in another bowl mix the baking soda with the vinegar (it will bubble)
stir in vinegar/soda mixture

bake in greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans at 350 for 30 minutes (do not over-bake or the cake will be dry)

frosting:
(this is the tricky part, for me anyway)

in a small saucepan cook 5 tablespoons flour with 1 cup milk, stirring often
after it thickens, cover with a cloth (to prevent a crust from forming) and cool (not in refrigerator to prevent condensation)
once it is room temperature or cooler, cream together 1 cup butter (not margarine) 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla
add cooled flour/milk mixture and beat until fluffy (at least 5 minutes)