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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Serves 12 to 16 as layer cake, 16 to 24 as sheet cake.
This cake is not strongly chocolate-flavored, so it would be nice with a vanilla frosting, for those who aren't chocolate fanatics; chocoholics will find it swell with a dark chocolate frosting. A filling of whipped cream instead of more frosting can make it pretty special.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 c. (1 8-oz. jar) real mayonnaise
• 1 c. strong hot coffee (1 c. hot water, 1 heaping tsp.
instant-coffee crystals)

Directions

Line two 9-inch round layer-cake pans with parchment paper;
grease and flour the paper. Or grease and flour a 9- by 13-inch
pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together into the large bowl of an electric mixer the sugar,
flour, baking soda and cocoa powder. Blend in the mayonnaise, then add the hot coffee and beat about 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until batter is absolutely smooth. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake 25 to 30 minutes for layer cake or 30 to 35 minutes for sheet cake, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool, then fill and frost as desired.