Chocolate Fudge Cake with Cappucino Icing

I made this cake recently for a friends birthday. Delicious!

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour unsifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Cream butter and sugar together until light in texture. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture. Beat thoroughly. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat thoroughly.

Grease two 8 or 9 in. cake pans generously with solid vegetable shortening and flour. Pour batter into pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center.

Turn cakes out of pans 10 minutes after taking out of the oven.

Icing:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 cups confectioner's sugar (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Makes: 3 1/2 cups.

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Combine coffee granules, milk and vanilla. Alternately add sugar, one cup at a time & milk mixture, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Continue beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.