Recipe - Mile-High Chocolate Cake

One half cup Cocoa; Baking
One half cup ;Hot Water
2 teaspoon Baking Soda
One half cup Vegetable Shortening
2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs; Large
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 One half cup Flour; Unbleached, Sifted
1 cup Buttermilk

COCOA FROSTING
One half cup Butter Or Regular Margarine
1 ounce Baking Chocolate
1 pound Confectioners' Sugar; Sifted
1 Egg White; Large
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
3 tablespoon Milk

Combine cocoa, hot water and baking soda in a small bowl. Let stand while
mixing other ingredients. Cream the shoretening and sugar together in a
mixing bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, until light and
fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in
vanilla and cocoa mixture. Add flour alternately with the buttermilk to
creamed mixture beating well after each addition. Pour batter into 3
greased and wax paper lined 8inch round cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350
degree F. oven for 25 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool in pans on
racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on racks. To
assemble cake, place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with Cocoa
Icing. Top with second cake layer and spread a layer of frosting. Top with
third cake layer and frost sides and top with remaining frosting. COCOA
ICING: Combine butter, and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Place
over hot water; stir until melted. Remove from heat; cool to room
temperature. Sift confectioners' sugar into a large mixing bowl. Make a
well in the center and add egg white, vanila, and lemon juice. Pour in the
chocolate mixture. Blend until smooth, using an electric mixer set at
medium speed. Add milk to make frosting of a spreading consistency.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini