Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I made this for dinner on Sunday when Matt's family came over. It was very good and I was very proud of myself.



Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Source: The New Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book
Ingredients:
For the cake:
3/4 c butter
3 eggs
2 c flour
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c milk

For the frosting (I only used about half of this recipe so you may want to cut it in half):
3/4 c butter, softened
8 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c milk
2 tsp vanilla
Milk

Directions:
For the cake:
Allow butter and eggs to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly greased bottoms and sides of two 8 in round pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Grease paper and lightly flour.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl, continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium speed to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, peel off paper, and cool thoroughly on racks.

For the frosting:
In a very large mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add 2 c of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 c milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat in enough milk to reach spreading consistency. Frost cakes as normal.

Philadelphia 3-Step Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

No picture yet. It's still chilling. I'll post a picture tomorrow. If I remember :)

Ingredients
2 packages (8 oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tbs. strawberry preserves
1 cup Cool Whip
1 cup strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350*

To make crust, mix graham crackers and melted butter. Press into a 9x9 pans lined with aluminum foil.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and mix just until blended.

Pour mixture into crust. Dot top of batter with preserves. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

bake 40 minutes until center is almost set. Cool. refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve topped with the whipped topping and raspberries. Store in refrigerator.