Best chocolate cake with fudge frosting*

 
                  Best Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting*
 
 Recipe By     : Betty Crocker's Old-Fashioned Cookbook
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cakes
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2      Cups          all-purpose flour
    2      Cups          sugar
      1/2  Cup           shortening
      3/4  Cup           water
      3/4  Cup           buttermilk
    1      Teaspoon      baking soda
    1      Teaspoon      salt
    1      Teaspoon      vanilla
      1/2  teaspoon      baking powder
    2                    eggs
    4      ounces        unsweetened chocolate -- melted & cooled
                         FUDGE FROSTING
    2      cups          sugar
      1/2  cup           shortening
    3      ounces        unsweetened chocolate
      2/3  cup           milk
      1/2  teaspoon      salt
    2      teaspoons     vanilla
 
 Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2-inches; 3
 round pans, 8 x 1 1/2 inches; or 2 round pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inches. Beat all
 ingredients except Fudge Frosting in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds,
 scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl
 occasionally. Pour into pans. Bake rectangular pan 40 to 45 minutes, round
 pans 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out
 clean. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Prepare
 Fudge Frosting; frost cake. (Fill layers with 1/3 cup frosting; frost side
 and top with remaining frosting.)
 
 FUDGE FROSTING
 Mix all ingredients except vanilla in 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Heat to rolling
 boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan
 in bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading
 consistency; stir in vanilla.
 
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 NOTES : For cinnamon chocolate cake add: 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon