Wellesley Fudge Cake

Yield: Two 10-inch layer cake pans.

• 1 c. real butter
• 2 c. granulated sugar
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 c. cake flour sifted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. chopped walnuts
• 3/4 c. buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Cream shortening and sugar until creamy, light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and beat on second speed about 8 minutes.
3. Sift the cocoa, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together at least 3 times.
4. Add the nuts to the sifted ingredients.
5. Mix the buttermilk and vanilla.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk in 3 parts.
7. Pour batter into greased or paper-lined pans and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

(Cake may also be baked in sheet pans and then before icing cut into 3 to 5 layers so that the icing filling can be put in between.)

Wellesley Fudge Icing:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 pkg. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cream
• 2 oz. melted chocolate
• 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped (more nuts may be added if desired)

1. Cream butter until soft and gradually cream in the sugar until well blended.
2. Add the vanilla and salt to the cream. Blend into the sugar mixture.
3. Add the melted chocolate and beat until fluffy, light and well blended.
4. Scrape down sides of bowl and under paddle well, then mix in the nuts.
5. Frost cake as desired…

(You may want to make double the recipe if you make cake into a sort of torte. It’s awfully good that way.)