This torte’s recipe was originally published in 1979 by the Milwaukee Sentinel.

Karl Ratzsch’s Chocolate Torte
1 lb. cake flour
1 lb., 12 oz. sugar
1 oz. baking powder
10 oz. water
11 oz. shortening
¼ oz. baking soda
4 oz. cocoa
¼ oz. vanilla
12 whole eggs
14 oz. water
Vanilla pudding
Chocolate frosting

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, water, shortening, baking soda, cocoa and vanilla in a large mixing bowl at medium speed.  Add eggs, water and mix about 7 min.  Fill two 10″ cake pans and bake in the preheated oven about 30 min. Split layers horizontally and, when completely cool, put vanilla pudding between the layers. Frost with chocolate frosting.