2 cups flour
1 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa (or other high-quality chocolate)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup Hellman's (Best Foods) real or light mayonnaise
Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine (we used butter)
2/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional for decoration)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease & flour bottoms of 2- 9" round cake pans. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, soda & powder, set aside.
In a large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat eggs, sugar & vanilla, scraping sides of bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes or until smooth & creamy. Reduce speed to low; beat in mayonnaise till well blended. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with water, beginning & ending with flour mixture.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.
Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
Remove from pans; cool completely on racks.
Frosting
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, mixing between additions. Use more milk if needed (we did not need any additional milk). Add vanilla and blend in well.
Frost cake adding about 1/3 frosting between layers and the rest to cover top and sides of cake.
Posted: 2/21/2010 7:54:23 PM