Chocolate Cake

We love dessert around here. Chocolate cake is a classic and this is my favorite recipe. (Although I did find a Barefoot Contessa recipe I intend to try!)

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/4 cups unsifted, all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; blend well. Combine dry ingredients; add alternately with water to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan(s) of your choice. (2 greased and floured 9" round pans, 2 8" square pans, 1 rectangular pan or 1 bundt pan)

Bake at 350 for 30-50 minutes (depending on pan used) or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely and frost.

You can leave the chocolate chips out. It's an on and off thing for me. If I have the chips and I don't have plans for them, I put them in the batter. My husband likes the cake refrigerated if the chips are in it because the chips get solid.

This cake is pretty moist so I don't put on a lot of frosting unless I make a layer cake. Then I pretty much have no choice. But I'm not crazy about a lot of frosting so I rarely make it that way. When I bake it in a bundt pan I make a glaze to go over it.

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
enough milk to get the glaze to drizzling consistency
(you can also had a spoonful of cocoa if you want a chocolate glaze)

Mix three ingredients to desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Eat until you can't eat anymore. Or invite friends over so you don't stuff yourself.