---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Neiman Marcus Seven Layer Cake
  Categories: Cheesecakes, Chocolate
       Yield: 1 servings
  
     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.
  
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