2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 heaping tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup water
1 cup mayonnaise 
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In large mixing bowl sift together (or just mix well) dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients. Mix until smooth (about 2 minutes).  Pour into
greased and floured pan (8"x8", 9"x9", or tube pan - I use a 9" tube
pan).  Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes.  Use toothpick test.

Date: Wed, 7 Jul 93 9:26:32 CDT

It is a fragile cake, and so doesn't lend well to layers (it's
possible, but you must be very careful).  We usually make it in
a 9x13x2 pan and frost it in the pan so that it's easy to transport
to family gatherings.  

It is also a very easy cake;  you can make it in one bowl with
a wooden spoon.  Be sure to use real mayonnaise (not light) and
cold water so that the mayonnaise doesn't separate.  The mayonnaise
is the shortening and the eggs.

Sift together:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Add:

1 cup (+~2 tbsp) ice water
2 tsp (+) real vanilla extract

When mixed thoroughly, fold in:

1 cup real mayonnaise

If you're using a mixer, fold the mayonnaise in by hand.  Stir just til
mixed;  do not overbeat.  Pour into a greased and floured (or Baker's 
Joy'ed) 13x9x2 pan and bake 30 minutes at 350 F.  Cake is done when
it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and the top starts to
crack;  you can also use a toothpick test; do not overcook.  Cool 
five minutes before removing from the pan.   

Frost with canned frosting or homemade butter frosting:

1/2 stick butter
1 lb powdered sugar
(dash salt)
1/2 cup cocoa (optional)
2 tbsp (+) milk
1 tsp (+) vanilla


Cream butter, 1/2 sugar, and salt.  Add cocoa and 1 tbsp milk.  Cream.
Add sugar and milk til the consistency is right and then beat at
mixer's highest speed.  Frost cake immediately.

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