Collector's Cocoa Cake

• all-purpose flour↗2 cups
• water↗1 1⁄3 cups
• hershey's cocoa↗3⁄4 cup
• sugar↗1 3⁄4 cups
• baking soda↗1 1⁄4 teaspoons
• salt↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• butter (1-1/2 sticks) or margarine, softened (1-1/2 sticks)↗3⁄4 cup
• eggs↗2
• vanilla extract↗1 teaspoon
• One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting
• butter or margarine, softened↗6 tablespoons
• powdered sugar↗2 2⁄3 cups
• hershey's cocoa or Hershey's dutch-processed cocoa↗1⁄2 cup
• vanilla extract↗1 teaspoon
• Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
• cup milk↗1
• tablespoons all-purpose flour↗3
• cup sugar↗1
• cup reese's creamy peanut butter1⁄2
• cup vegetable shortening↗1⁄2
• teaspoon vanilla extract↗1
• dash salt↗1

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 350°F.

2. 2

   Butter and flour (2) 8-inch or 9-inch round baking pans.

3. 3

   Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy.

4. 4

   Add eggs and vanilla; beat 1 minute on medium speed of mixer.

5. 5

   Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with water to butter to mixture, beating until well blended.

6. 6

   Pour batter into prepared pans.

7. 7

   Bake 35-40 minutes for 8" layers or 30-35 for 9" layers or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. 8

   Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.

9. 9

   Cool completely.

10. 10

    Frost with One-Bowl Butter cream Frosting or Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting.

11. 11

    Beat butter in medium bowl.

12. 12

    Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed.).

13. 13

    Stir in vanilla.

14. 14

    About 2 cups frosting.

15. 15

    Gradually stir milk into flour in small saucepan.

16. 16

    Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick.

17. 17

    Transfer to medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly on surface.

18. 18

    Cool to room temperature, about 1/2 hour.(If you are going to use this frosting - make it while you bake the cake.

19. 19

    Add sugar, peanut butter, shortening, vanilla and salt.

20. 20

    Beat on high speed of mixer until frosting becomes fluffy and sugar is completely dissolved.

21. 21

    About 3 cups frosting.