Ingredients:

1 and ¾ cups all purpose flour

1 and ¾ cups sugar

1 and ¼ teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

11 Tablespoons butter

4 (1oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (Baker’s is best) (melt in a double boiler)

1 and ¼ cups water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

Chocolate Filling (see below)

Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

Grated Chocolate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 4 (9 inch) round cake pans.  You could use parchment paper instead. 

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mixing well; then beat 2 minutes at medium speed of an electric mixer.  Add eggs and beat an additional 2 minutes.  

Spoon about 1 and a ½ cups of batter into each 4 greased round cake pans.  Just make sure it’s all evenly divided and the batter is spread even and flat.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cake tests done. (Stick a toothpick in it and if it comes out clean it’s done.  If it has batter on it, cook an additional 3 minutes).  Take cakes out of oven and let cool IN PANS for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from pans and let cool entirely on wire cooling racks.

Place one layer of cake on cake plate and spread with half the chocolate mixture.  Place another layer of cake on top of chocolate and top with half the whipped cream.  Repeat layers. Garnish with grated chocolate.  Refrigerate until served.  

Chocolate Filling

1 and ½ bars Baker’s German Chocolate  (this is 1 and ½ boxes)

¾ cup butter (1 and ½ sticks)

½ cup toasted sliced almonds

Melt chocolate in a double boiler, let cool.  Add butter, beating at low speed of an electric mixer until smooth.  Stir in almonds.  

Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, beat until stiff peak forms.