1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c. boiling water
1 3/4 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter or reg. butter, softened
2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. finely chopped pistachio nuts or walnuts
1 c. heavy cream

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

1/3 c. light cream
1/3 c. butter or reg. butter
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
2 2/3 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. coarsely chopped pistachio nuts or walnuts

Cake Layers: In small bowl, mix cocoa with boiling water. Cool completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (8 x 1 1/2 inch) layer cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Beat at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping side of bowl and guiding mixture into beaters with rubber scraper. At low speed, blend in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with buttermilk; begin and end with flour mixture; beat just until smooth.

Measure 1 2/3 cups batter into a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped nuts; pour into a prepared pan. Add cocoa mixture to remaining batter; mix until smooth; divide evenly between other pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes on rack; remove from pans; cool completely. Whip heavy cream until stiff; refrigerate. Frosting: In saucepan, heat cream until bubbles form; remove from heat. Add the hot cream to butter, cocoa, 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, corn syrup and vanilla.

With portable mixer or wooden spoon, beat frosting until smooth. Add remaining confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth and thick enough to spread. To assemble cake: Place one chocolate layer on cake plate, right side down; spread with half of the whipped cream.

Place the nut cake layer on next; spread with rest of whipped cream. Top with remaining chocolate layer, right side up. With spatula, spread frosting on the side and top; garnish top edge of cake with the coarsely chopped nuts. Refrigerate. Makes 12 servings.