Grandma's Recipe Box: Waldorf-Astoria Red Cake

A made-from-scratch cake, this one is a 3-layer cake instead of Grandma's typical bundt or sheet choices.   If anyone successfully converts this recipe to a sheet cake, please let me know what you changed in cook time.

Tips:

• The recipe does not say if you flour and grease 8-inch round pans, but I am thinking you should if you want the layers to not stick. 
• If you do not want to fuss with making a from scratch cake, you might try using a Red Velvet cake mix and then use the icing recipe below to make it like Waldorf-Astoria.

Waldorf-Astoria Red Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
2 cups cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 oz. red food coloring
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cocoa, heaping
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vinegar.

Steps:

1. Sift together 3 times mixture of: flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream sugar and Crisco in large bowl. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add coloring.
3. Add milk and flour mixture alternately.
4. Fold in vinegar and soda. Add vanilla.
5. Makes 3 layers pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. 

Waldorf-Astoria Red Cake Icing

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 cup Crisco
1/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1  can (3.8 oz) Bakers Angel Flake coconut (approx 1 & 1/3 NOT packed cups if using bagged)

Steps:

1. Cook together milk, flour, and salt until very thick.  Cool.
2. Cream Crisco and sugar together.
3. Add cooked mix and beat well.
4. Spread on cake layers, stack, then frost and sprinkle coconut over it.