Great Chocolate Cake and Strawberry Shortcake Variation
-------------------------BASIC CAKE------------------------------
1 c Ghirardelli Unsweetened-Cocoa
2 c Boiling water
1 c Melted butter
2 1/2 c Sugar
4 Eggs
2 ts Vanilla
2 1/3 c Unsifted cake flour
2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
Additional- for Great-Strawberry Chocolate
-------------------------SHORTCAKE------------------------------
1 c Heavy whipping cream
2 tb Powdered sugar
1/2 ts Vanilla
Strawberries
2 oz Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet-Chocolate
DIRECTIONS: Mix cocoa with boiling water, stirring with wire whip
until smooth. Cool in refrigerator while preparing other ingredients.
In large mixer bowl, beat butter with sugar, eggs, and vanilla on
high speed 5 minutes. Sift flour with baking soda, baking powder and
salt. On low speed, add dry ingredients alternately with cocoa and
liquid, starting and ending with flour. (Do not overbeat.) Divide
batter into 2 round pans (9 x 1 1/2") lined with buttered waxed
paper. Bake at 350-F for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tests dry
with a toothpick. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove cake and cool
on racks. Use 1 layer of cake for Great Strawberry Chocolate
Shortcake dessert. The second layer may be frozen for other great
chocolate desserts- or the 2 layers may be frosted together.
For shortcake: Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread
over top of 1 layer of cake. Arrange fresh strawberries on top. Melt
chocolate and drizzle over berries. Chill to firm chocolate. Makes 8
servings.