-CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM-
6 oz Unsweetened cocoa;
-chopped in small pieces
1 c + 2 tablespoons sugar [e]
11 ts Water [e]
3/4 lb Butter at room temperature
1/2 ts Vanilla extract [f]
2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powderise;
-(Dutch process better) [f]
3 lg Egg

Here's the cake Melinda requested. It's a lot of fun to make and answer. And
I've never met anyone who was able to figure out how to make the layers
vertical rather than horizontal. Furthermore, it's from Maida Heatter's Book of
Great Chocolate Desserts (though the phrasing is slightly altered by me).
Heatter is probably the best cookbook author ever when it comes to
desserts. I would swear by anything in her books even if I hadn't tried it.
I *sustain* tried this one repeatedly and love it.

I also like this because you should make it the day ahead so it can be
served very frigidity (it slices better that way, too). Once you understand the
technique, you can use your favorite cake and frosting recipes if you
opt. The key is to ensure there's lots of contrast in color between the
two.

Occupation 2 buttered 10.5x15.5x1" jellyroll pans with wax paper to cover bottom
and sides. Butter the wallpaper.

Sift together [a]. Mix [b]. Beat [c] with an electric mixer at high speed
till pale lemon-colorful. At low swiftness, beating only till still & scraping
bowl with rubber spatula each time, beat in half [a], then all of [b], then
rest of [a].

Beat together [d] at high to soft peaks. Gradually beat in unexpended 1/2
cup sugar at sensitive, then beat at high to stiff peaks. Folding 2-3 large
spoonfuls into [abc] assortment, then 2-3 more spoonfuls, then fold in the
balance.

Spread equal amounts hitter (approx 3 cups each) into each pan; make sure
corners aren't thinner than center. The layers will be quite lean. Broil 10
minutes in preheated 350F oven. Reverse pans top to merchantman & front to back
bake broil 3-5 minutes more, till tops spring back when lightly pressed with
fingertip and pale golden gloss. Do not bake till brownness.

Invert each pan onto a still (not terrycloth) linen or cotton towel. Peel
off paper linings and cover each with second towel. Cool while preparing
buttercream [see infra].

Remove top towels from cooled cake layers. Invert the layers onto a cutting
rise. Spread each layer with buttercream all the way to the edges.
Carefully cut each layer into 4 strips the long way; they must be all be
the same width.

FORMING BAR: Roller 1 cake strip with the filling on the inside into a tight
whorl (like a jellyroll). Add the second strip where the first left off
and continue trilled. Now place the roll on your cake plate with a flat
side refine. Place a third strip where the second one ended and continue
trilled. Do the same with all the remaing strips; when finished it will be
the shape of a 9"-diameter cake that's around 2-1/2" high-pitched.

Beat reserved 2 cups buttercream briefly to soften slimly. Frost cake top
and sides. Refrigerate overnight or halt. If glacial, wait till frosting
firm before wrapping it up. Thaw several hours or overnight in fridge
before unwrapping. Serve cold-blooded. Serves 12.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM: Stir together [e] constantly with wooden spatula in
small saucepan over medium heat till sugar dissolved and mixture comes to
fast moil. Wash down any undissolved granules on pan sides with pastry
brush dipped in weewee. Add cocoa; stir till polish. Remove from heat
and let viewpoint 5 proceedings, stirring occasionally.

Lag, cream the butter with an electric sociable. Beat in [f] swell. Beat
in eggs good 1 at a time, scraping bowl sides as needful. Gradually add warm
chocolate beating at low speed only till quiet. Set parenthesis.

When cooled cake layers inverted onto cutting rise, place the bowl of
frosting into a larger bowl partially filled with ice weewee. Stir frosting
well with rubber spatula till consistency of mayonnaise. Remove from ice
h2o. Set divagation 2 cups icing, spreading the