"JESUS BIRTHDAY CAKE" RED VELVET CAKE 1/2 c. shortening 1 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs 2 Tbsp. cocoa 2 oz. red food coloring 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla 1 c. buttermilk 2 1/2 c. sifted cake flour 1 1/2 tsp. vinegar 1 level tsp. soda Cream shortening, sugar, eggs. Make a paste with cocoa and food coloring, and add to the cream mixture. Mix salt and vanilla with buttermilk and add alternately with flour to the cream mixture. Then mix soda and vinegar and fold into mixture. Do not beat. Bake in two (9-inch) pans, greased and floured at 350° for 30 minutes. Frosting for Red Velvet Cake: 5 Tbsp. flour 1 c. milk 1 c. granulated sugar 1 c. butter 1 tsp. vanilla Cook flour and milk until thick, stirring constantly. Let cool until cold. Cream together: sugar, butter, and vanilla. Add to cold flour mixture. Beat until the consistency to spread. When finished it looks like whipped cream but until then it's curdy. NOTE: To add emphasis to the true meaning of Christmas Day, we always bake this birthday cake putting the baby Jesus doll in the coconut "bed of hay" — brown cocoanut under broiler after it has been mixed with a drop of yellow food coloring and a few drops of water.) UNCLE ED'S CHOCOLATE CAKE 2 c. sugar 1/2 c. shortening 2 eggs Cream together. Add 4 teaspoons vinegar to 1 cup milk and let stand at least 5 minutes until thick. Sift together: 2 c. plus 1 Tbsp. flour 1/2 c. cocoa 1 tsp. salt Add to creamed mixture alternately with thick milk. Then add 1 cup boiling water with 3 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in it, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla. Bake in a greased, floured pan for 40 minutes at 350°. Frost with Uncle Ed's Fudge Frosting. UNCLE ED'S FUDGE FROSTING 1 c. sugar 1/4 c. shortening dash of salt 1 square chocolate (cut up) 1/3 c. milk Boil 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until glossy.