Chocolate Cake

This is one of my mom's recipes. She claims it is the only chocolate cake recipe that she will ever make, although, I know she will usually just use store bought mixes now ;) BUT I must admit this is one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes and frosting recipes.



1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup Hershey's baking cocoa
2 1/8 cups flour, sifted
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup milk

1. Cream butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; blend in eggs.
2. Sift together baking soda, cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add alternately with milk to batter.
4. Pour into 9x13 baking dish (greased) and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
5. Let cool before frosting.

Frosting
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together. Add more milk if needed to get desired consistency.

**Randi's Side Notes**
~ This is my go-to frosting for cakes. Mmmm just thinking about it makes me want to go and make some!
~ This cake isn't a super "airy" cake like a boxed mix would be, but isn't really super thick either. Personally I think it is just the perfect denseness, just enough thickness to give you the guilty pleasure of gobbling down lots of chocolate, but airy enough that you don't feel bad about taking a HUGE piece :)