Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

Grease and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans.

Step 3

Cream Crisco and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add eggs one at a time, completely incorporating after each addition.

Step 4

In a small bowl, make a paste of food coloring and cocoa powder and add to mixture.

Step 5

Stir together flour and salt in a separate medium bowl, set aside.

Step 6

Pour buttermilk and vanilla into a measuring cup, set aside.

Step 7

Alternately, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into Crisco/sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.

Step 8

Reduce speed of mixer and stir in baking soda, making sure incorporated into batter. Then, stir in the vinegar, taking care not to beat hard or over mix.

Step 9

Distribute cake batter evenly into the three cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until cakes have gently pulled away from the edges of the cake pans and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean..

Step 10

Cool cake thoroughly before frosting.