This Cake is Not a Lie!

Black Midnight Cake

2 ¼ cups cake flour*
1  cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
3/4 cup shortening
1 ¼ cups water
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Heat oven to 350ºF (325ºF for dark or glass pan)

Grease and flour pans. (13x9 rectangle, or two 9 inch rounds, or three 8 inch rounds.)

Beat all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping occasionally. Pour into pans.

Bake:
Rectangle 40-45 minutes, or rounds for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack. Round layers should be removed from pans after 10 minutes, finish cooling on rack.

*You can use all purpose flour if you sift it. Don't use self-rising flour.

Buttercream Frosting

1 pound box powdered sugar
2/3 stick (1/3 cup ) butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk or half & half*

In large bowl combine sugar, butter, milk, salt, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until creamy. If desired, add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency.

*Skim milk isn't really good for this, and that's usually all I have on hand... so I use mostly half & half.

This is probably not enough frosting for a three layer cake, but it will do a two layer, the 9x13 rectangle, or 24 cupcakes.