Neiman Marcus Seven Layer Cake

3/4 c Shortening

3 1/3 c Cake flour

2 1/4 c Sugar

4 1/2 ts Baking powder

1 1/2 ts Salt

1 1/2 c Milk

3 Eggs

2 ts Vanilla

Chocolate butter frosting: 3 c Confectioners` sugar; sifted

1/3 c Hot water

4 oz Unsweetened chocolate

; melted, 4 squares 1 Egg; slightly beaten

1/2 c Butter; or margarine;

-softened 1 1/2 ts Vanilla

Stir shortening just to soften. Sift in dry ingredients. Add 1 cup of milk; mix until all flour is dampened. Then beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Add remaining milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat vigorously 2 minutes longer. Pour 2 cups batter into a lightly greased and floured 9x1 1/2- inch round pan. Tip pan so batter runs over bottom. Invert pan over baking sheet and tap edges on baking sheet, allowing as much batter to run out of pan as will do so easily. Turn pan right side up, scrape down sides to prevent burning and even out batter remaining on bottom. Repeat for other 6 layers, baking as many at a time as you have pans and oven space. Bake at 400~ for 8 minutes or till done. Cool in pans for 3-5 minutes, then invert on rack to cool Put layers together and frost with Chocolate Butter Frosting. While baking first layers, keep remaining cake batter in refrigerator. Chocolate Butter Frosting. Blend sugar and hot water into melted chocolate. With spoon beat half of egg into chocolate mixture; beat in remaining egg; beat in butter, a tablespoon at a time. Blend in vanilla. Frosting will be thin at this point, so place bowl in pan of ice water and beat until spreading consistency. -----