2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter butter
2 eggs
2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour pans 2 (8 inch) round ones. Blend sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs and beat. Sift flour before measuring; resift with soda, salt, and cocoa. Add flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, making about three additions of each. Beat after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and water and beat until well mixed. Divide batter into pans and bake 35 minutes or until they test done. Cool in pans for 15 minutes and remove from pans.

Icing:

1/4 c. melted butter
4 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa

Cream butter and cream cheese. Mix sugar and cocoa and add to mixture. Beat until well mixed and smooth. Spread on cooled cake. (We call this special chocolate cake because it is the one I usually bake for special occasions.)