Famous Department Store Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
2 medium eggs, beaten well
1 1/2 cup sugar
dash salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 medium egg whites, beaten stiff
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a tube cake pan. Melt chocolate (can do in microwave on 50 percent power). Add boiling water and heat until well blended. Set aside to cool.Mix eggs, sugar, salt and butter. Add cooled chocolate mixture. Blend and add vanilla, buttermilk and soda.Add sifted flour. Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 45 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan and continue cooling on wire rack. Frost cooled cake with Colonnade Icing. Colonnade Icing: Mix sugar, water and syrup. Cook to the soft-ball stage, 258 degrees on a candy thermometer. In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Slowly pour in hot sugar mixture, beating thoroughly until icing is the consistency of cream. Add powdered sugar and beat again. Spread onto cake. Dribble melted chocolate over icing.