Holly's Midnight Cake

Holly's Midnight Cake

1 C shortening
2 C sugar
5 eggs (room temperature)
1 C cocoa
2 C flour
1 3/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t vanilla
2 C water

Cream together shortening, sugar and eggs until fluffy and then beat for 5 minutes more on high.  In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and the salt.  In another small bowl, mix the vanilla and water.  Alternately add a small amount of the flour mixture and then a small amount of the water mixture to the creamed egg mixture.  Beat constantly until all the ingredients are added and it is well mixed.  Pour batter into 3 greased and floured round cake pans.  (I just use parchment instead of flour.)  Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 or until tester comes out clean.  Cool completely and frost with Midnight Frosting.  (I often freeze the cake a day or so in advance and then frost while frozen.) Top with the Chocolate Crazies if desired.

Midnight Frosting

12 T butter (room temp)
1 1/2 C cocoa
5 1/2 C powdered sugar
2/3 C milk
2 t vanilla
Cream butter, then add sugar and cocoa alternately with the milk and vanilla, whipping constantly until everything is well mixed.

Chocolate Crazies

1 C Chocolate chips (semi sweet works best)
Wax paper

Melt chocolate chips and spread thinly on  the wax paper on a cookie sheet.  Cool until slightly firm.  Score with a knife in a diamond pattern and roll up, width ways.  Place cookie sheet in freezer.  When chocolate is solid, slowly unroll and chip off diamond pieces.  Place on cake in whatever pattern looks fun! If cake is in a warm room, the chocolate will droop.