Chocolate Peppermint Cake

1/2 c Soft butter or margarine

2 1/4 c Packed light brown sugar; 1

-lb Eggs 3 oz Unsweetened chocolate

-squares ; melted 2 1/4 c Sifted cake flour

1 1/2 ts Baking soda

1/2 ts Salt

1/2 c Buttermilk

1 ts Vanilla extract

1 c Boiling water

6 pk Thin chocolate mint wafers

Peppermint frosting: 2 Egg whites

1 1/2 c Sugar

1/8 ts Salt

1/3 c Water

2 ts Light corn syrup

1/2 ts Peppermint extract

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cooled chocolate, and blend. Sift together flour, soda and salt, and add alternately to chocolate mixture with buttermilk; beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla and water. Pour into 3 (8 or 9-inch) layer pans lined on the bottoms with wax paper.Bake in a preheated 350` oven for about 30 minutes. Remove to racks, and press

mints on the 2 bottom layers. Cool, and spread Peppermint Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Frosting: Place all ingredients except peppermint extract in the top of a double boiler. Put over boiling water, and beat with a rotary beater or electric mixer for 7 minutes, or until mixture will stand in stiff peaks. Add peppermint extract. -----