Supreme Chocolate Cake

From taste of home. Sounds like a yummy, fairly easy dessert.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 12-14

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 2  cups sugar
• 4  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 cup  baking cocoa
• 3⁄4 cup boiling water
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) carton  whipped cream cheese
• 1 1⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whipping cream

Directions

1. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In a bowl, whisk cocoa and water until smooth; stir in buttermilk.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Beat until smooth.
3. Pour into three greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
4. For frosting, in mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar; mix well. Add the vanilla, cream and remaining sugar; beat until frosting reaches desired consistency. Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate; spread with a third of the frosting. Repeat layers twice. Garnish with maraschino cheeries and mint if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.