Devil's Food Cake With Fudge Frosting (U. S.)

Directions

1. 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 till it is fluffy, add in the sugar and vanilla, and continue beating till the batter is silvery and light. Beat the Large eggs in one by one, then add in 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 min, or possibly till the layers feel spongy to the touch and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cold the layers upright in their pans on wire racks for 10 min, then carefully loosen them around the edges with a spatula and turn them onto wire racks. Cold them completely.
2. FOR THE FROSTING: Cream the butter till it is light, then add in the confectioners' sugar gradually, beating all the while. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla, then add in just sufficient 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.
3. Makes about 8servings.