Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake
from Jackson Hole Cooks and Nate's Mom

1 8-oz pkg Hershey's semi-sweet baking chocolate, broken into pieces, or 1 cup good quality semisweet chocolate chips

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 c. water

2/3 c. canola oil

2 T. white vinegar or lemon juice

2 t. pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 in. round cake pans.

Melt chocolate on top on a double boiler, watching carefully so it doesn't scorch (I just melted it in the microwave on low and watched it)

Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix together well. Add the melted chocolate, water, oil, vinegar or lemon juice and vanilla. Beat with mixer on medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 3 min.

Pur batter into pans and bake approx. 35 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10-15 min. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.





CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 c. butter, softened

5-6 T. milk, divided

1 t. vanilla


In a medium bowl, beat together 1 c. of the powdered sugar, cocoa, butter, 2 T. of milk and vanilla until smooth and well blended.

Add remaining sugar alternately with the milk, beating after each addition until smooth.