(NAPSA)—For many home bakers, preparing for the holidays includes clearing out their cabinets and stocking up with a fresh batch of essential ingredients, such as baking powder, baking soda, spices andflour. Baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents—ingredients used to cause a batter or dough to expand. They do this by creating a chemical reaction that produces a gas that causes cakes and other baked goodsto rise. However, they are not the same and cannot be interchanged. Baking soda requires an acid ingredient in your recipe to work; baking powder, on the other hand, is a “complete” leavening system designed to work independently. Some recipes containing high amountsof acid, such as chocolate cake, may require both baking powder and baking soda. Both can lose their effectiveness after about six months. Given the investment many holiday bakers make in ingredients, such as nuts and dried fruits, the experts at Clabber Girl suggest it’s usually wise to invest in a fresh container of the baking powerhouses—baking powderor soda—to ensure your holiday treats turn out as intended. Here’s a recipe to try once you've restocked your cabinet. Chocolate Layer Cake 2 2 % 2 cups all-purpose flour cups granulated sugar cup Dutch-process cocoa tablespoons Clabber Girl Cornstarch 2 teaspoons ClabberGirl Baking Powder 1 teaspoonsalt % teaspoon baking soda 4 large eggs % cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoonsvanilla extract 1% cups water Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.Stir together Fresh baking powder and baking soda are key ingredients in this fine-textured chocolate cake. the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Add the water andstir. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a rack. Use a knife to level any rounded domesoff the top of each layer. Place one layer on cake plate or serving platter. Spread cake with %-inch layer of frosting and top with the second layer. Frost the top layer and sides with remaining frosting. Frosting % cup butter % cup cocoa 3 cups powdered sugar % cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Melt butter; stir in cocoa. Add powdered sugar and milk, alternating. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Yield: 1 cake (12 servings) For more recipes, visit www.clabbergirl.com.
