Double Chocolate Cake Donuts

5 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
3 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

ICING:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons water, more as needed

Bring all ingredients to room temperature.

Beat the sugar and eggs together until creamy and lemon colored.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat or nuke it, stirring every few seconds.

Beat into the sugar and egg mixture. Add the vanilla and buttermilk. Mix well.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add slowly to the liquid mixture. Divide the dough in half. Chill to make it easier to handle.

Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured board to about a 1/2" thickness. Cut into doughnuts.

Allow the cut doughnuts to stand for 10 minutes. Heat 2" of oil to 370 F in a large skillet.The doughnuts should be at room temperature before frying. Dip a metal pancake turner or slotted spoon into the hot oil before using it to add or turn a doughnut.

Transfer the doughnuts to the skillet, one every 15 seconds. Fry each doughnut about 90 seconds per side. Remove the doughnuts and drain on paper toweling or on a rack placed on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Yields 30 Doughnuts.

ICING: Prepare the icing by beating all the ingredients together. If the icing is too stiff add additional water, one or two drops at a time. Beat until smooth. Spread onto the doughnuts after they have cooled.