Chocolate Town Special Cake

Frosting fills and frosts two 9-inch layers, 8 to 10 servings.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk*

* To make sour milk, use 4 teaspoons vinegar + milk to equal 1 1/3 cups.

Fluffy Cocoa Frosting

• 3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Instructions

1. Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. grease and flour two (9-inch) layer pans.
2. In a small bowl, stir together cocoa and boiling water until smooth; set aside.
3. Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture. Pour into prepared baking pans.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
5. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans.
6. Cool completely; frost with Fluffy Cocoa Frosting.
7. Fluffy Cocoa Frosting: Mix cocoa and sugar together in a medium bowl.
8. In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream part of the cocoa/sugar mixture with the butter. Blend in vanilla extract and half of the milk. Add remaining cocoa/sugar mixture and blend well. Add remaining milk and beat to desired spreading consistency (additional milk may be added if required).