- 1_1/4 cups vegetable shortening
- 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling the parchment paper
- 1 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 4_1/2 tsp (2 tubes) red food-coloring gel
- 3 cups cake flour, plus more for flouring the cake pans
- 1_1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1_1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1_1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1_1/4 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 3 extra large eggs
- 1_1/4 cups buttermilk
- Unsalted butter (about 2 tbsp) or vegetable oil, for greasing the cake pans (nonstick spray may also be used)
- Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 F.
- Put the shortening, sugar, cocoa, food coloring, flour, salt, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can use a hand mixer if you allow the shortening to soften at room temperature before beginning.) Paddle, starting at low speed, then raise the speed to low-medium and mix for about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 1 minute after each is absorbed into the mixture. Add the buttermilk in two portions, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl between additions.
- Grease two 9" cake pans (2" deep) with the butter, and flour them.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and get as much batter as possible out.
- Bake until the cakes begin to pull from the sides of the pans and are springy to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour. The cakes should be at room temperature before you remove them from the pan.
- Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar, and one at a time, turn the pans over and turn the cakes out onto the parchment; the sugar will keep them from sticking. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to decorate.