Perfect Chocolate Cake

1 c Cocoa

2 c Boiling water

1 c Butter, softened

2 1/2 c Sugar

4 Eggs

2 3/4 c Flour (I used cake flour and

-suggest others do so also) 2 ts Baking soda

1/2 ts Baking powder

1/2 ts Salt

1 1/2 ts Vanilla

Whipped Cream Filling: 1 c Whipping cream,

1 ts Vanilla, and

1/4 c Sifted powdered sugar

Perfect Chocolate Frosting: 1 (6 oz) package seme-sweet

-chocolate morsels, 1/2 c Half and half,

3/4 c Butter

2 1/2 c Sifted powdered sugar

This cake is from the December 1990 "Southern Living" article on the best recipes of the past 25 years. We've tried it, and it is a stunner! First printed in December 1977, a recipe submitted by Dondee Gage Steves of San Antonio, Texas. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 9" round cake pans. Combine cocoa and boiling water, stir until smooth, then set aside. Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating well at mdm speed of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternating with cocoa mixture, beating at low speed of an electric mixer, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Do not overbeat. Pour pans and ake 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool pans 10 minutes. Remove the cake from pans; cool completely. Spread filling between layers; spread frosting on top and sides. Chill until serving time. Filling: Beat whipping cream and vanilla until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Chill. Yield: 2 c Frosting: Combine chocolate, half and half, and butter in a heavy saucepan; cook over mdm heat, stirring until chocolate melts (I used a glass measuring c and the microwave). Remove from heat; add powdered sugar, mixing well. Set saucepan in ice, and beat at low speed of an electric mixer until the frosting holds its shape and loses its gloss. Add a few more drops of half-and-half if needed to make spreading consistency. Yield: 2 1/2 c