COCOA AND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, sift cocoa into boiling hot water, mix well. Let cool completely. Can put in refrigerator to speed cooling.
• Meanwhile, grease and flour or line with parchment paper, three 9x1 1/2" layer cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar at high speed until well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla and beat at high speed, scraping the sides of the bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• At lowest speed on mixer beat in alternately starting and ending with the flour mixture in fourths and cooled cocoa mixture in thirds. Scrape sides of bowl after each addition. Do not overbeat.
• Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertips.
• Cool in pans 10 minutes. Gently remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• Chocolate Filling:.
• In a small bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth.
• Sift in powdered sugar and cocoa, add eggs, and beat until filling is fluffy and smooth.
• Refrigerate until needed and until firmer.
• Frosting:.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream, sifted powdered sugar and vanilla; beat with mixer on high speed until stiff and of spreading consistency.
• Refrigerate until needed.
• To assemble cake:.
• On a cake platter, place one layer of cake, top side up, spread with half of the filling.
• Invert second cake layer on top of first layer and filling, spread with remaining filling.
• Place the third cake layer top side up over the second layer and filling.
• Frost the top and sides of cake with frosting.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.