The Perfect Chocolate Cake

FROSTING
6 oz Semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 c Light cream
1 c Butter
2 1/2 c Unsifted confectioners’
-sugar

FILLING
1 c Heavy whipping cream
-(chilled)
1/4 c Unsifted confectioners’
-sugar
1 ts Vanilla extracted
1 pt Fresh strawberries, cleaned
-and sliced

In a medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire
whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and
baking powder. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease well and lightly flour
three 9 by
1-1/2 inch lager cake pans.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter,
sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally, until light –
about 5 mins. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths),
alternating with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with
flour mixture. Do not overbeat.

Divide evenly into pans, smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until
surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Cool in pans
10 minutes. Carefully loosen sides with spatula, remove from pans;
cool on racks.

Frosting: In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream,
butter; stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat. With
whisk, blend in 2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar. In bowl set over
ice, beat until it holds shape.

Filling: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; refrigerate.

To assemble cake: On plate, place a layer, top side down; spread with
half of whipped cream and half of sliced strawberries. Place second
layer, top side down; spread with the rest of the whipped cream and
strawberries. Place third layer, top side up.

To frost: With a spatula, frost sides first, covering whipped cream;
use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate at
least 1 hour before serving. To cut, use a thin-edged sharp knife and
slice with a sawing motion. Serves 10 to 12.