Chocolate Cake:

3 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.

Onto piece of waxed paper sift together flour and salt.

In a saucepan, stir together cocoa and water until blended. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in cocoa, blend until smooth.

Stir baking soda into milk; add alternately with flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour into pans.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Fill and frost with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup milk
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
4 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

In saucepan combine milk, sugar, butter and salt. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Cover; cook for about 3 minutes.

Remove cover; cook to soft-ball stage (236°F on candy thermometer).

In mixing bowl beat egg yolks. Add syrup in steady stream, beating constantly. Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until thickened. If frosting becomes too thick to spread, beat in few drops hot water.

Submitted by: Belle