Dark Chocolate Cake

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened

1 ¾   cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

1 ¼ teaspoons of baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cups water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour tow 8 inch round baking pans.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla: beat on medium speed of mixer. Sift and stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with water to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 35-40 minutes for 8 inch pan and 30-35 minutes for 9 inch pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.  Cut the cakes horizontally to make four cakes.

 

Quick and Easy Mousse

1 large box of Instant Pudding (I use Cookies and Cream)

1 can Eagle Brand Condense Milk

½ cup cold water

1 8 ounces container of Cool Whip

 

In a medium bowl mix condensed milk and cold water.  Add pudding and stir until dissolved.  Refrigerate for 5 minutes or until set.  Fold in Cool Whip.

Note: 2 small boxes of pudding can be used instead of one large.  Fresh berries can be folded into vanilla or white chocolate pudding.  This makes a great filling for white cake.

 

Dark Chocolate Icing

½ cup butter (1 stick), melted

2/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

¾ cup powder sugar

1/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Directions:

1. Melt butter and stir in cocoa. Alternately add powder sugar and milk beating to a spreading consistency.  Add a small amount of additional milk if needed.  Stir in vanilla. (Or add some of your favorite  liquor)

Makes 2 cups of frosting.

 

To Assemble:

• Put 1/3 of the mousse filling between each layer of cake. Ice the cake with the icing. Refrigerate.