"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Frosting

I've had the "Easy Baking Hershey's Cocoa" recipe book for years but last Friday night was the first time that I've baked anything out of it. Mostly because I have no self control & therefore I don't really need to have any of this stuff sitting around my house.

My sister will make this sometimes & I love it & that usually works out great-I can have a slice or two while I'm over at the house & leave it there when I leave to come home.

Well, like I said, I made one last Friday night (the hubby made the frosting while I was getting the little ones in bed-& he did a superb job by the way). Since I'm such a good friend I took a generous bit over to a friend on Saturday.

Anyway, the recipe.


The Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

1-Heat oven to 350 F. Grease & flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2-Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda & salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil & vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in water. (Batter will be thin.) Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3-Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4-Prepare "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting; spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.

***One 13x9x2 inch baking pan may be substituted for 9-inch round baking pans. Prepare as directed above. Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost as desired.



Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. butter or margarine
2/3 c. cocoa
3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk, beating to spreading consistency. (My husband melted the butter & then poured it in the Kitchen Aid mixer bowl & mixed everything with the wire whisk attachment-& he sifted the powdered sugar & cocoa into the bowl).

2-Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Whole Wheat Cookies

Yields: 1 dozen
I'm not sure that because they are made with whole wheat it means that you can eat twice as many. I'm still trying to convince myself that it is okay to do that though.

1/3 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg (or 1 Tbsp. dehydrated egg + 1/8 c. water)
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. chocolate chips

Cream together butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. in a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture & beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto greased cookie sheet by heaping tablespoons. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.