Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour* or cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup shortening
• 2 eggs (⅓ to ½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour baking pan, 13x9x2 inches, or two 9-inch or three 8-inch round layer pans.
3. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl.
4. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly.
5. Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally.
6. Pour evenly into pan(s).
7. Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes, layers 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Cool.
9. If desired, frost cake with Peanut Butter Broiled Topping, Chocolate-Spice Butter Frosting or Satiny Beige Frosting.

*If using self-rising flour, omit soda, salt and baking powder.

Variations

• New Orleans Spice Cake: Omit vanilla and add 1 teaspoon cloves before mixing.
• Valentine Heart Cake: Bake cake in layers. In chilled bowl, whip 1½ cups chilled whipping cream, ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar and ½ teaspoon almond extract until stiff. With decorators’ tube or spoon, form thin rim of whipped cream around edge of bottom layer.
  Fill center with half of 1 can (1 pound 5 ounces) cherry pie filling. Top with other layer. With tip of knife, outline large heart on top of cake. Frost side and top of cake remaining outside heart shape with whipped cream. Fill heart with remaining cherry filling. Chill.