Perfect Chocolate Cake/mccalls

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

Title: Perfect Chocolate Cake/mccalls
Categories: Cheesecakes, Chocolate
Yield: 10 servings

Cake:
1 c Unsifted unsweetened cocoa
2 c Boiling water
2 3/4 c Sifted all purpose flour
2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Baking powder
1 c Butter or margarine;
-softened
2 1/2 c Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
Frosting:
6 oz Semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 c Light cream
1 c Butter or regular margine
2 1/2 c Unsifted confectioners'
-sugar
Filling:
1 c Heavy cream; chilled
1/4 c Unsifted confectioners'
-sugar
1 ts Vanilla extract

Recipe by: MAUREEN ANTHONY (BJHK38A)
1.In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing
with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour
with soda, salt and baking powder. Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch
layer-cake pans.
2. In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat
butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl
occasionally until light-about 5 mins. At low speed, beat
in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa
mixture (in thirds), beginning.and ending with flour
mixture. Do not overbeat. Divide evenly into pans;smooth
top. Bake 25 to 30 mins., or until surface springs back
when gently pressed with fingertip.
3. Cool in pans 10 mins. Carefully loosen sides with
spatula; 4. Remove from pans; cool on racks. Frosting:In
medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces,cream,
butter;stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from
heat. With whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners'
sugar. In bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it
holds shape.
Filling: whip cream with sugar and vanilla;refrigerate.
To assemble cake: On plate place a layer, top side
down;spread with half of cream. Place second layer, top
side down;spread with rest of cream. Place third layer,
top side up.
To frost: With spatula, frost sides first,covering whipped
cream;use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. To cut, use a
thin-edged sharp knife;slice with a sawing motion.
And forget the swirls. I think it looks gourmet
just to spread the frosting. It dries really dark and
looks cool. Somethimes I just drag a sharp knife across
the top in lines and sometimes I leave it as it is.
From McCall's Cooking School.JM

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