Perfect Chocolate Cake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Perfect Chocolate Cake
Categories: Cheesecakes, Chocolate
Yield: 1 servings

1 c Cocoa
2 c Boiling water
1 c Butter; softened
Or margarine
2 1/2 c Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 3/4 c All purpose flour
2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
Filling-
1 c Whipping cream
1 ts Vanilla extract
1/4 c Confectioners' sugar; sifted
Frosting-
6 oz Semisweet chocolate morsels
1 sm Package
1/2 c Half-and-half; about
3/4 c Butter; or margarine
2 1/2 c Confectioners' sugar; sifted

Recipe by: Southern Living magazine, November 1982.
Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until smooth; set
aside to cool.
Combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat at high
speed of electric mixer 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Combine dry ingredients; add to sugar mixture alternately
with cocoa mixture, beating at low speed of electric mixer,
and beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not
overbeat. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch
round cakepans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or
until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool the
layers completely. Spread filling between layers, and
spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with
pecans, if desired. Serve at once, or refrigerate until
ready to serve.

Filling. Beat whipping cream and vanilla until foamy;
gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until peaks
hold their shape. Chill. Yield: about 2 cups.
Frosting. Combine chocolate morsels, 1/2 cup
half-and-half, and butter in a saucepan; cook over medium
heat, stirring until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; add
confectioners' sugar, mixing well.
Set saucepan in ice, and beat until frosting holds its
shape and loses its gloss. Add a few more drops of
half-and-half if needed to make spreading consistency.
Yield: about 3 cups.

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