Red Velvet Pound Cake

1 C. butter or margarine
1/2 C. shortening
3 C. sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1- 1 oz. bottle (2 T.) red food coloring
3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. cocoa
1 C. buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)


Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and food coloring. Sift together flour, soda, salt, and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Spread with frosting, sprinkle with nuts if desired.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
1 stick butter
1- 1 lb. box confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla