4 blocks (4 oz.) Hershey's baking chocolate
1 c. hot water
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. cake flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, unbeaten
2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate with hot water and cook in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water until chocolate has melted. Stir constantly until mixture has thickened. Add 1/2 cup sugar, cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool to lukewarm. In separate bowl, sift flour, soda and salt together. In another bowl, cream butter; add 1 1/4 cups of sugar gradually and cream together until very fluffy. Add eggs one at a time to the cream mixture beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the flour and milk alternately to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla and blend thoroughly.

Line the bottoms of 2 (9 inch) layer cake pans with paper. Pour the cake mixture into the pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake about 30 to 35 minutes until done. Frost with Rich Chocolate Frosting.