Chocolate Town Special Cake

Cake
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water
2/3 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk *

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together cocoa and boiling water until smooth; set aside.

Cream shortening, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely; frost with Fluffy Cocoa Frosting.

NOTE: To make sour milk, use 4 teaspoons vinegar plus milk to equal 1 1/3 cups.

Fluffy Cocoa Frosting
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Mix cocoa and sugar together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream part of the cocoa/sugar mixture with the butter. Blend in vanilla extract and half of the milk. Add remaining cocoa/sugar mixture and blend well. Add remaining milk and beat to desired spreading consistency (additional milk may be added if required). Fills and frosts two 9-inch layers, 8 to 10 servings.