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Recipe from Lard by Editors of Grit Magazine (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012)  This is your go-to chocolate layer cake for birthdays. It's what they expect; it's what they want; it's what they'll love and ask for every year. Decorate the top with sprinkles, jimmies, nonpareils, gumdrops, chocolate chips-the sky's the limit! Serves 12
- ½ cup lard, softened, plus more for greasing the pans
- 2¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pans
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ¹?³ cup hot water
- 1 cup buttermilk
Frosting
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup lard, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa
- ¹?8 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with lard; dust lightly with flour and set aside.In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the lard and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on low speed. Add the vanilla and eggs; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and hot water to form a smooth paste; set aside. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the lard mixture, beating well after each addition. Add the cocoa mixture and beat well. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake springs back after gently pressing with a finger. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely. To prepare the frosting, place the chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl. Heat until melted; stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the butter, lard, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt for 30 seconds until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and pulse until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and process until creamy and smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. To frost the cake, place one cake layer on a cake stand and frost, using an offset spatula. Position the second layer atop the first and repeat.
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