Tim Ezell's Holiday Favorites

Red Velvet Cake: This was my favorite dessert growing up. It was a mainstay at Christmas, but I also requested for my birthday cake every year. Now, most red velvet cakes are prepared with a cream cheese icing. Not this one! MY mom's White Gravy Icing is UNBELIEVABLE! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

RED VELVET CAKE

1/2 cup shortening


1 1/2 Cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. butter flavoring

1 oz. red food coloring

3 level tablespoons cocoa

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbs. vinegar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

Cream together the shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter flavoring. Make a paste of the red food coloring and the cocoa; add to creamed mixture. Alternately add to this mixture the flour, buttermilk and salt. Mix 1 teaspoon soda with 1 Tablespoon vinegar and add to the mixture. Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans. Pour mixture into pans, dividing it evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Ice with white "gravy" frosting.

WHITE GRAVY FROSTING

3 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup Milk