Basic chocolate cake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Basic Chocolate Cake
  Categories: Cakes
       Yield: 10 servings
  
       4 oz Unsweetened chocolate
            -squares
     1/2 c  Shortening
       2 c  Sugar
       2    Eggs
       2 c  Sifted cake flour
     1/2 ts Baking powder
       1 ts Baking soda
     3/4 ts Salt
     3/4 c  Buttermilk
     3/4 c  Water
       1 ts Vanilla extract
  
   Recipe by: Southern Living
   Preparation Time: 0:20
   Place chocolate in top of a double boiler; bring water to a
   boil.  Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts.
   Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at
   medium speed of an electric mixer.  Add eggs, one at a
   time, beating well after each addition.  Add chocolate,
   mixing well. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt;
   add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk,
   beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix after each
   addition.  Add water, mixing well.  Stir in vanilla. Pour
   batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.
   Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick
   inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10
   minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire
   racks.  Frost as desired.  Yield: one 2-layer cake.
   
   CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES: Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin
   pans, filling each cup half full.  Bake at 350 degrees for
   15 to 18 minutes.  Remove from pans, and let cool on wire
   racks.  Frost as desired.  Yield:  3 dozen.
  
 -----