Old-fashioned chocolate cake

Yield: 1 Cake

Ingredients:

3/4 c Butter or margarine -- softened
1 2/3 c Sugar
3 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla extract
2 c All-purpose flour
2/3 c Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/4 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
1/4 ts Baking powder
1 1/3 c Water
1/2 c Hard peppermint candy

Instructions:

opt. -(finely crushed) Add'l hard peppermint candy --(crushed) optional MMMMM--------------------------FROSTING------------------------------- 6 tb Butter or margarine - softened 2 2/3 c Powdered sugar 1/2 c Hershey's Cocoa 1/3 c Milk 1 ts Vanilla extract Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In large mixer bowl combine butter sugar eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed of electric mixer 3 minutes. Stir together flour cocoa baking soda salt and baking powder; add alternately with water to butter mixture beating until blended. Add candy if desired. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Just before serving garnish with peppermint candy if desired. 8 to 10 servings. One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting: In small mixer bowl beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting. Variation: Chocolate Cupcakes: Fill paper-lined muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes; cool. Frost. About 2-1/2 dozen cupcakes. Hershey's is a registered trademark of Hershey Foods Corporation. Recipe may be reprinted courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens. Meal-Master compatible format by: Karen Mintzias