Categories: Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts 
      Yield: 8 servings 
  
  1 3/4 c  Sifted cake flour 
    1/2 c  Cocoa powder (not a mix) 
      1 ts Baking soda 
    1/2 ts Salt 
    1/2 c  (1 stk) unsalted butter 
  1 1/4 c  Granulated sugar 
  1 1/2 ts Vanilla 
      2 lg Eggs 
      1 c  Boiling water 
           FROSTING: 
    1/4 c  (1/2 stk) unsalted butter 
      2 c  Unsifted confectioners' 
           -(10X) sugar 
      2    Squares (1 oz each) 
           -unsweetened chocolate, 
           -melted 
  1 1/2 ts Vanilla 
      2 tb Half-and-half, milk or 
           -evaporated milk 
  
  CAKE: 
   
  PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350F. Grease two 8-inch layer cake pans well, then dust 
  then generously with cocoa. (This gives the cake layers a rich brown 
  finish). Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt onto a piece of waxed 
  paper and set it aside. Cream the butter until it is fluffy, add the sugar 
  and vanilla, and continue beating until the batter is silvery and light. 
  Beat the eggs in one by one, then add the sifted dry ingredients, 
  alternately with the boiling water, beginning and ending with the dry 
  ingredients and beating well after each addition. Divide the batter equally 
  between the two pans, smoothing the tops. Bake the layers uncovered for 30 
  to 35 minutes, or until the layers feel spongy to the touch and begin to 
  pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool the layers upright in their pans 
  on wire racks for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen them around the edges 
  with a spatula and turn them onto wire racks. Cool them completely. 
   
  FOR THE FROSTING: Cream the butter until it is light, then add the 
  confectioners' sugar gradually, beating all the while. Beat in the melted 
  chocolate and vanilla, then add just enough cream to make the frosting a 
  good consistency for spreading. Sandwich the two cake layers together with 
  frosting, then frost the top and sides of the cake. Swirl the frosting into 
  peaks and valleys. Makes about 8 servings.