3/4 cup butter or shortening (Crisco)
1 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup hot water
3/4 cup cocoa
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening. Gradually add sugar, cream until smooth and fluffy. Blend in well-beaten eggs. Put cocoa in another bowl. Slowly add hot water, stirring, until completely mixed.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour to creamed butter mixture in 3-4 batches, alternating with adding cocoa mixture, and blending with mixer after each batch. Mix in vanilla. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans (non-stick work best, but still grease and flour them. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes (test after 30 minutes).

Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on cake rack, then invert pans and GENTLY remove (this is a very delicate cake; use great care in removing from pans.

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Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
I often use 1-1/2 recipes of icing.

1/2 cup butter
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
3 squares melted unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
5-6 tbsp. cream or milk, or more as needed

Cream butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Melt chocolate, allow to cool slightly then add to butter mixture. Beat in egg yolks. Add remaining powdered sugar gradually, adding milk or cream as necessary for spreading. Beat until smooth and creamy.