- 1/2 cup baking cocoa
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 7 eggs, separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ICING:
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- Chopped nuts
- In a bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth; cool for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, vanilla and cocoa mixture; beat until smooth. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; gradually fold into egg yolk mixture. Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Bake on lowest rack at 325 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan to cool; remove cake from pan.
- For icing, melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, chocolate and vanilla. Stir in enough water until desired consistency; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with nuts.