| 1 | Preheat the oven to 325°F. |
| 2 | Grease two 8- to 8-?inch shallow cake pans and line the base of each with a circle of greased wax paper. |
| 3 | sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. |
| 4 | Add the sugar, oil and water. |
| 5 | Mix well to a batter-like consistency. |
| 6 | Pour the mixture into the prepared pans and bake for about 40 minutes, until the cakes spring back to a light touch in the center. |
| 7 | turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and strip off the wax paper. |
| 8 | Allow to cool completely. |
| 9 | sandwich the cake together with half the fudge icing or chocolate buttercream and coat the top with the rest. |
| 10 | Sprinkle on a little grated chocolate and confectioners" sugar. |
| 11 | variation: vegan lemon cake: |
| 12 | use the additional amount of flour and omit the cocoa powder. |
| 13 | Replace 2 tb. of the water with lemon juice and add the grated lemon rind. |
| 14 | Sandwich the cakes together and coat the top with lemon buttercream or fudge icing and decorate the cake with yellow sugar decorations and leaves cut from angelica. |
