Cream butter and Crisco and gradually add sugar, then whole eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add chocolate, melted in the milk and then cooled to luke warm.
Mix in flour, salt and vanilla. Pour into tube pan, well greased, and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Ice with chocolate icing.
Melt butter in milk. Add to sugar and cocoa, mixed well together. Boil for 2 minutes ( or until a drop of the mixtue forms a soft ball when dropped into ice water).
Take off stove, add vanilla and beat until thick enough to spread. Keep the pot on a low stove while spreading the cake to keep it soft. If it should become too firm, just add a few drops of Pet Milk to soften it.
Note: My mom ( now age 90 ) has baked too many of these cakes to count. It has been a favorite at our Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings for decades. The favorite part for the children ( and some of us adults ) is the icing. Mom said that I should note here that she always doubles the recipe for the icing so that she can generously ice the cake and have a little extra for the children ( of all ages ). I hope all of you and your families enjoy this cake as much as we have - and still do !
This favorite cake recipe is also from " Cooking in Conway. "
