Chocolate Pound Cake

• 2 sticks butter


• 1/2 cup shortening


• 3 cups sugar


• 5 eggs


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1 1/4 cups milk


• 3 cups all purpose flour


• 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 1/2 cup cocoa

Cream butter and shortening together. Add the sugar and mix well.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Blend in vanilla and milk.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add to the above mixture. Preheat oven to 325. Pour batter into a greased/floured tube pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Chocolate Icing

• 2 cups sugar


• dash salt


• 3/4 cup evaportated milk


• 3 tsp. cocoa


• 1 stick butter

Boil all ingredients together to the soft ball stage. Cool and stir until ready to spread. Frost the completely cooled pound cake.
Just a note: Whenever I make a pound cake, I always let my refrigerated ingredients (such as milk, eggs, butter) set out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before making the recipe. I'm not sure why I do this, but I've always heard that you should. :) Does anybody else do this? If so, why? :) My pound cakes always turn out when I do this...I'm just not sure if there's a particular reason. I'd love to know if there is!!