Chocolate cake for a crowd

 4 sticks butter, (room temperature)

8 Tablespoons cocoa powder

4 cups flour

4 cups sugar

1/2 t salt

2 cups boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp baking soda 

2 tsp vanilla 

4 beaten eggs

Oven at 350 degrees

Grease and add parchment to the bottom only of 2 - 9 inch round cake pans and prepare for 22 cupcakes by lining muffin tins cupcake paper.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a very large mixing bowl 

Melt butter in heavy sauce pan, add sifted cocoa and stir together. Then add 2 cups boiling water . Allow this to boil for :30 minutes. Turn off heat.

Pour butter/ cocoa/ water mixture over dry ingredients- stir lightly.

Combine buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and beaten eggs in a separate bowl bowl.

Stir buttermilk mixture into the butter/ chocolate mixture.

Fill muffin cupcake tins and round cake pans. 

Bake cupcakes 18-20 minutes and cakes :30 minutes or so.

Let cool and I refrigerated them overnight.

Frosting- this was challenging!!

3 cups heavy cream ( I would use 2 cups next time)

24 oz semisweet chocolate chips 

2 tsp. Vanilla

Pour chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.

Heat cream in a heavy sauce pan until hot. 

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let them sit awhile until the chocolate melts. Stir.

Refrigerate frosting until it gets to the consistency of thick pudding. 

When completely cooled add vanilla and beat. Maybe 1 or 2 minutes (don’t beat too long or it will curdle) 

Use frosting for filling and to frost the top and sides of the cake. Frost the cupcakes.