The Perfect Chocolate Cake

McCall's, April 1976

1 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa
2 cups boiling water
2 ³/₄ cups ¹⁾ all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
2 ¹/₂ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pkg (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces
¹/₂ cup light cream
1 cup butter or regular margarine
2 ¹/₂ cups unsifted confectioners' sugar

1 cup heavy cream, chilled
¹/₄ cup unsifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Let cool completely.
2. Sift four with soda, salt, and baking powder. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease well and lightly flour three 9-by-1¹/₂-inch layer cake pans.
3. In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed, beat I cup butter, the granulated sugar, eggs and 1¹/₂ teaspoons vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber scraper, until light –about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat. Divide evenly into prepared pans; smooth tops.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
5. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully loosen sides with spatula; remove from pans; cool [completely] on wire racks.

1. In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, crea and butter; stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat.
2. With wire whisk, blend in 2¹/₂ cups confectioners' sugar. In bow set over ice, beat until it holds shape.

1. Whip cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla; refrigerate.

1. Place a cake layer on serving plate, top side down; spread with half of filling. Place second layer top side down; spread with rest of filling. Place third layer, top side up, on top.
2. With spatula, frost side first, covering whipped cream; use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively. note: you may not need to use all the frosting – I don't because my cakes made with French flour are not as tall– and it shouldn't be too thick or the cake will seem too sugary. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. ²⁾.
3. To cut, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife; slice with a sawing motion.