Waldorf Astoria Red Cake

The iceing for this is amazing,and worth the trouble
Waldorf Astoria Red Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking soda
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Make a paste
with food coloring and cocoa. Add to shortening mixture.
Add salt and buttermilk to mixture. Next add flour, vanilla,
vinegar, and baking soda in that order. Mix. Bake for 30 minutes at
350 degrees F in two 8 inch round greased and floured cake pans. Let
cool.

To Make Frosting: Cook 5 tablespoons flour and 1 cup milk until
thick, and then cool. Cream together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup
butter or margarine and 1 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Add to
flour mixture.
Cut layers of cake in half lengthwise. Spread frosting on each half
layer. Stack and frost over all.

If making this cake for valentines day, I always tint the icing with
a very pale pink paste and the eye explosion is spectacular when its
cut