Mom's Chocolate Cake

Mom didn't make a lot of sweets

We mostly bought cookies at the bakery

But on Saturday, she would bake a dessert for Sunday

The rest of the week,

dessert would be jello, fruit or applesauce

We looked forward to Sundays!

One that she made often was this chocolate cake

A simple cake

And always made as a layer cake

(although I would assume that it could be made in a 9 x 13 --

she just never did)

A layer cake was worthy of Sunday dinner

I think she got the recipe from the back of a Hershey's cocoa can

But when I looked on-line, it showed a different recipe.

Perhaps this cake was from the back of an early 50s cocoa can

(and there's a new recipe now!)

It's an easy recipe, goes together quickly but produces a company worthy cake

Which is what we had today -- company

My family

Which is why we had Mom's cake

But it was a birthday cake

for Niece Stacy who turned 36 yesterday.

And if it is Hershey's Cake,

in my recipe book, it's called "Mom's Chocolate Cake"!

MOM'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa

1  baking powder

2 baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 c. oil

2 t. vanilla

1 cup hot coffee

Heat oven to 350.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.    Add eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.    Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.    Stir in hot coffee.     Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 inch round pans.    Bake 30 to 35 minutes.    Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

FROSTING:

1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

Melt butter, stir in cocoa.   Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency.    Add more milk, if needed