Categories: Cakes, Chocolate 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      3 c  All purpose flour                 1/2 c  Butter or margarine (1 
      1 tb Baking powder                            -stick) 
  1 1/2 ts Sugar                             1/2 c  Cocoa powder (not a mix) 
    1/2 ts Salt                              1/4 c  Water 
    2/3 c  Vegetable shortening               10 oz Confectioner's sugar, sifted 
      6    Egg yolks                           1 ds Salt 
      1 ts Vanilla                             2 tb Brandy 
           Rich Fudge Frosting             
  
  Sift flour, bakeing powder and slat onto wax paper. Beat sugar, shortening, 
  egg yolks and vanilla in large bowl of electric mixer at high speed, 3 
  minutes, or until creamy smooth. Tutn mixer speed to low; add flour mixture 
  alternately with milk, beating after each addition, just until gatter is 
  smooth. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9 inch layer cake pans, 
  dividing evenly. 
   
  Bake in miderate oven 350 degrees, for 30 minutes or until centers slpring 
  back when lightly pressed withfingertip. Cool layers in pans on wire racks; 
  10 minuts; loosen around edges with a knife; tutn out onto wire racks; cool 
  completely. Put layers together and frost wht RICH FUDGE FROSTING, garnish 
  with ROYAL FROSTING  and CAKE LACE. 
   
  FICH FUDGE FROSTING: 
   
  Melt butter or margarine with cocoa in a large saucepan over low heat 
  stirring often, until misture is smooth; remove fom heat. Beat in 
  confectioner's sugar, salt and brandy until smooth with electric mixer at 
  high speed. TIP: If mixture becomes too thick while frosting cake, add a 
  few drops hot water and beat. 
   
  FROM: Family Circle - Best Ever Baking - Nov. 1984