Sift together in the bowl of an electric mixer the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cocoa and sugar.

Add the shortening, water, milk, eggs and vanilla and blend on very low speed until the ingredients are moistened.

Mix three minutes on medium (No. 3) speed, scraping the bowl frequently to insure complete blending. Do not include scraping time in the three minutes.

Pour the mixture into two nine-inch layer cake pans that have been greased and lined with waxed paper circles cut 1/8th inch smaller than the bottom of the pans.

Bake until the cake rebounds when pressed gently in the center, twenty-five to thirty minutes.

Cool in the pans on a cake rack ten minutes before removing from the pans. Cool and frost as desired.

Frost.