Chocolate Velvet Cake

• butter, softened↗1 cup
• shortening↗1⁄2 cup
• sugar↗3 cups
• large eggs↗5
• cake flour↗2 cups
• dutch process cocoa↗1 cup
• baking powder↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• buttermilk↗1 1⁄4 cups
• vanilla extract↗2 teaspoons

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended.

2. 2

   Combine cake flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

3. 3

   Pour 7 cups batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan, reserving remaining 1 cup batter.

4. 4

   Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

5. 5

   Note: Prepare cake batter 1 1/2 more times; stir in reserved 1 cup batter. Repeat procedure for baking the second 13- x 9-inch layer. Spoon 3 cups batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Repeat procedure with remaining batter for baking the second 9- x 5-inch layer.

6. 6

   Yield 1 (13- x 9-inch) layer (8 cups batter).