1 cup cocoa
2 cups boiling water
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)
Orange Buttercream Frosting
Garnishes: orange wedges, orange leaves

• Grease 4 (9-inch) round cakepans; line with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper; set aside.
• Stir together cocoa and 2 cups boiling water until smooth; set aside.
• Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time; beat until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
• Brush cake layers with orange liqueur, if desired.
• Spread Orange Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator. Garnish, if desired. Makes 1 (4-layer) cake.

• Beat butter and orange rind at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar alternately with orange juice, beating until spreading consistency. Makes 4 cups.

Bonus: For Almond Buttercream Frosting, substitute 3/4 cup milk for orange juice; omit orange rind, and stir in 1 teaspoon almond extract.