1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup Crisco
3 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour or plain White Lily flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cream butter, Crisco and sugar together. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa together. Alternately add eggs, milk and dry ingredients to creamed ingredients. Add vanilla. Pour into lightly greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Frosting (Optional):

1 box confectioners sugar
4 heaping tsp. coco, sifted
3/4 stick butter, softened
Small amount of milk (to spreadability)
Dash vanilla

Mix all ingredients well and spread over cake.