Red Velvet Cake w/ Mock Whipped Cream Icing

1/2 c. Crisco (yes use the REAL criso... it won't do right if you don't)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
1 t. vanilla
2 T.cocoa
1 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 c. cake flour (yes CAKE FLOUR not all purpose)
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vinegar
1 t. baking soda

Mix vinegar and soda in a small cup and let stand. Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs one and a time. Make a paste of cocoa and small amount of food coloring add to the creamed mixture, add remaining food coloring. Combine salt, baking powder and flour. Alternate adding buttermilk and flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla and vinegar/soda mixture.
Pour into to 2 - 8" greased cake pans and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 min.
Allow to cool and and slice cake layers in half to end up with 4 thin layers. Frost all layers etc. with Mock Whipped Cream Frosting.

Mock Whipped Cream Frosting

2 c. milk
4 T. flour
2 c. sugar
2 c. Crisco
2 t. clear vanilla... you don't want to discolor your pure white frosting

Cook milk and flour until thick (note whisk at all times! this is very important or you'll get nasty lumps ), boil and cool stirring while it cools. Cream sugar and crisco until fluffy. Slowly add cooled milk/flour mixture beating all the while. Add vanilla. You'll end up with a wonderful fluffy and not overly sweet frosting.