This chocolate cake recipe is an old favorite of mine from my childhood. My Aunt Marion, one of the most talented cooks and bakers ever, gave this recipe to my Mom. This is the first cake recipe I ever mixed and baked on my own when I was probably about 9 or 10 years old.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. cocoa (Hershey’s baking cocoa)
1 c. milk
1 c. hot coffee
2 unbeaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in order. Alternate milk and hot coffee and mix in slowly a little bit at a time. Add the eggs and vanilla. Batter will be very runny. Makes a 13 x 9 or two 9 in round cake pans. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes. Frost with buttercream icing.

Buttercream frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients until smooth and of an easy spreading consistency. (I just pour my vanilla extract in without measuring, so up to 2 teaspoons is fine).