Ingredients

Cake:

1 cup unsifted,unsweetened cocoa

2 cups boiling water

2 3/4 cups sifted (before measuring) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup softened butter or regular margarine

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting:

1 6-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup light cream or half and half

1 cup butter or margarine

2 1/2 cups unsifted confectioners sugar

Filling:

1 cup chilled heavy cream for whipping

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Make the Cake: (Preheat oven to 350F degrees.Lightly grease and flour 3 9 x 1 1/2 inch round layer cake pans.)

  1. Combine cocoa with boiling water in a medium bowl, mixing until smooth with a wire whisk. Let completely cool.
  2. Sift flour, soda, baking powder and salt.
  3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat 1 cup butter, the granulated sugar, eggs and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla at high speed, scraping bowl with spatula until mixture is light – about 5 minutes.
  4. At low speed beat in flour mixture in fourths, alternating with cocoa mixture, in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
  5. Divide evenly among the 3 pans.
  6. Bake 25-30 minutes until surface springs back when pressed. Cool in pans about 10 minutes. Then loosen the sides and remove and finish cooling on wire racks. Make the Frosting:
  7. In medium saucepan combine chocolate chips, cream and butter, stirring over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat.
  8. Blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar with wire whisk. Then set the bowl over ice and beat with electric beater until frosting holds its shape. Make the Filling: Whip cream with confectioners sugar and vanilla til stiff.

Put it all together:

  1. Place filling between cake layers.
  2. Frost sides, then top of cake. Tip: Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Tip: Use a sharp, thin blade knife to cut with a sawing motion.