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Simple Chocolate Cake

Servings: 16
Comments:
"I adore every one of Dinah Shore's cookbooks. Did you know that she was an excellent cook and loved to entertain? Her three books are all out of print, but if you find them, snatch them up. This perfect cake recipe is from her first book Someone's In The Kitchen With Dinah. She says it comes from Fanny Brice.".......From cookbook article

Ingredients:
4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1 stick (4 ounces/1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For Chocolate Frosting
2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup butter
8 tbsp. milk
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter in the hot water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add flour, sugar and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk or eggbeater. Then stir in buttermilk, baking soda, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 25-30 minutes, until the top springs back when touched with a fingertip. Make the frosting while the cake is in the oven.

While the cake is baking, make the frosting. In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. You may need to add more milk or confectioners' sugar to reach the desired consistency: the frosting should be pourable.

When the cake comes out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes, then pour the frosting over. Spread if necessary, and let the cake cool.

Makes 16 servings.

Source: Adapted from: Someone's In the Kitchen With Dinah
Date: August 2, 2003