ROYAL CHOCOLATE CAKE

This recipe is the perfect moist chocolate cake that is great with a simple fruit topping or a simple cream cheese frosting or better yet a decadent chocolate frosting - your choice.

CAKE
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon PURE Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups cold water

• Preheat oven to 350°.
  Grease and flour two 8-inch or one 13x9 cake pans.
• Sift cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar into a medium bowl, mix well. 
• Combine mayonnaise, vanilla and water in an electric mixer at low speed until smooth. 
• Slowly sift in dry mixture until just incorporated (do not over beat). 
• Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
• Cool on wire racks and frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

CHOCOLATE ICING
1 cup butter. softened
1 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5-6 cups confectioners' sugar
6 or more tablespoons milk

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cocoa with whisk attachment until smooth. 
• Add vanilla. 
• Add confectioners' sugar alternately with milk until icing reaches a spreadable consistency. 

 NOTES:

• You may not need all 6 cups of sugar 
• You may need more than 6 tablespoons of milk

CREAM CHEESE CHOCOLATE ICING
8-ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons cocoa
3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

• In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.
• With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar and cocoa, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary.
• Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium. Blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute.