Chanukah Gelt Double Fudge Chocolate Layer Cake

You don't see cakes like this every day. Easy, moist, high, non-dairy, flavorful. Stays fresh for days, can be frozen for months. For a bakery store look, garnish sides with chocolate sprinkles and plant one solitary cherry in the center. If you do not have cola on hand, you may substitute warm mild coffee.

Recipe Ingredients:

Cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cocoa powder - measured then sifted
1 1/2 cups warm, flat, cola

Icing:
1/2 cup chocolate chips - melted and cooled
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup unsalted butter or unsalted margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder - measured then sifted
3 to 4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar - measured then sifted
1/2 cup water, cola, or half-and-half

Garnish:
Gold chocolate coins (20 to 30)
Color jimmies or cake sprinkles
Miniature decorative plastic dreidels

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch layer pans and line with parchment paper circles.
2. In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar and oil. Add eggs, vanilla and mix until thick. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cocoa. Fold dry ingredients into wet and mix, drizzling in cola as mixture blends. If using an electric mixer, use slow speed for about 3 minutes, scraping sides and bottom once to incorporate all ingredients evenly. This is a thin batter.
3. Bake, on middle rack, 35 to 40 minutes, until cakes spring back when lightly touched.
4. For Icing: Cream melted chocolate, shortening, butter and vanilla with cocoa and 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar. Add remaining confectioner's sugar and whip on high speed, adding in a bit of water, cola or half-and-half to get a light, fluffy consistency. If not using right away, re-whip before using. Add additional warm water to get correct consistency (a tablespoon at a time).
5. Decorating: Place one layer on a cardboard circle. Ice this with about 1/2 inch of frosting. Place top layer and ice cake - sides first. Coat sides with colored sprinkles. Garnish bottom edge with coins. Garnish top with coins - placing them either flat on top of cake or standing up (you may cut some of the coins in half to garnish border of top layer). Place a couple of miniature dreidels in center if desired or Chanukah candles (can be lit when menorah is lit).

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe Source: The Baker Boulanger - Seasonal Table, by Marcy Goldman.