Red Velvet Cake

• Cake
• whole wheat flour, sifted↗2 1⁄4 cups
• kosher salt↗1 teaspoon
• cocoa powder↗3 tablespoons
• red food coloring↗2 ounce
• vegetable shortening↗1⁄2 cup
• sugar↗1 1⁄2 cups
• egg white1⁄3 cup
• egg white1 tablespoon
• low-fat buttermilk↗1 cup
• vanilla↗1 teaspoon
• white vinegar↗1 teaspoon
• baking soda↗1 teaspoon
• Frosting↗
• granulated sugar↗1 cup
• cup water↗1⁄3
• teaspoon cream of tartar↗1⁄4
• teaspoon salt↗1⁄8
• cup egg white, unbeaten1⁄4
• teaspoon vanilla↗1

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F Grease & lightly flour two 9" cake pans.

2. 2

   Combine sifted flour & salt; set aside.

3. 3

   Put cocoa in small bowl. Gradually add food coloring, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

4. 4

   With electric mixer at medium speed, cream together shortening & sugar. Beating 5 minutes until fluffy. (Do not shorten shortening/sugar creaming time!).

5. 5

   Gradually add egg whites, beating for at least 30 seconds after each addition.

6. 6

   With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk & vanilla, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.

7. 7

   Add cocoa mixture. Blend well by hand. Do not beat.

8. 8

   In small bowl, hand mix vinegar w/ baking soda. Stir briefly to mix, and then fold into cake batter. Do not beat.

9. 9

   Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick tests done.

10. 10

    To make frosting: Combine sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt in saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved & mixture is syrupy.

11. 11

    While beating with electric mixer, gradually add syrup to unbeaten egg whites in mixing bowl. Do not stop beating until stiff peaks form (about 7 minutes). Beat in vanilla.

12. 12

    Allow cake layers to cool on rack 10 minutes before turning out, and let cool completely before frosting.