Best Ever Chocolate Cake

This cake was served at my wedding party as the groom’s cake. Remember? Stan LOVES chocolate and got this recipe from a friend at work. This is so NOT Texas fudge...

1 C Shortening

2 ½ C Flour

2 C Sugar

2 tsp. Baking soda

½ C Cocoa

½ tsp. Salt

1 T Vinegar

1 C Hot water

1 C Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa and blend well. Mix vinegar and milk together for a while (usually a couple of minutes works). (Buttermilk can be substituted). Add flour, soda, and salt alternately with the milk and vinegar mixture. When well blended (don’t beat the heck out of it), add hot water and vanilla. Once again, don’t mix excessively, just enough to blend. Pour into a 9x13” greased and floured pan or 2 - 8 inch round cake pans (PAM works fine). Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

Frosting

8 oz dark chocolate (the finer quality chocolate, the better the frosting) (I use Hershey Special Dark or Dove)

6 oz milk chocolate (Hershey or Dove Mike Cho)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Chop chocolate finely. Heat cream until simmering. Pour over chocolate and stir until smooth. Refrigerate approximately 1 hour.

Beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream until soft peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture and spread on cake. You can add flavoring to this such as vanilla, orange, or mint.