Famous Fudge Cake

1 3/4 cups unbleached flour, unsifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening or vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup cocoa (less if using dutch process)
1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons hot water
1 cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoons water (to make sour milk)


Grease the bottoms and sides of two 9 x 1 1/2-inch layer cake pans and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, blending well, and set aside. Cream the shortening and sugar, with an electric mixer set on high, and beat in the eggs and vanilla extract and continue beating until light and fluffy. Blend the cocoa into the hot water to make a smooth paste. Gradually add the cocoa mixture to the creamed mixture, stirring to blend well. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool on racks for 10 minutes and remove from the pans to cool completely. Frost with chocolate-butter cream frosting.


One bowl chocolate buttercream frosting: 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened (1/3 cup for light flavor, 1/2 cup for medium flavor, 3/4 cup for dark flavor), 2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla. In small mixer bowl beat butter. Blend in cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla.