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1
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line each bottom with a round of wax paper.
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2
Grease paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
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3
In a bowl whisk boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in milk and vanilla.
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4
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
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5
Into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to egg mixture in batches alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition.
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6
Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and layers begin to pull away from sides of pans.
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7
Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and turn out onto racks to cool completely.
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8
Cake layers may be made ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room teperature 2 days or frozen 1 week.
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9
On a sheet of parchment paper draw an 11-inch circle with a pen or pencil and draw a spider web on it, extending some of ends beyond circle (see drawing).
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10
Tear off a large corner of the paper and on it draw a spider (see drawing).
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11
Turn drawings over onto a large baking sheet.
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12
In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.
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13
Transfer chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip (slightly smaller than 3/4 inch).
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14
(Alternatively, form a makeshift pastry bag: Transfer chocolate to a small sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air.
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15
Squeeze chocolate to one corner of bag and snip off about 1/8 inch from corner, making a small hole.)
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16
Pipe chocolate on web, beginning with spokes, and on spider.
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17
Freeze web and spider on baking sheet until very firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
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18
In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water beat frosting ingredients with a hand-held electric mixer on low speed until mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved.
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19
Beat frosting on high speed 7 minutes, or until thick and fluffy.
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20
Remove bowl from heat and beat frosting until slightly cooled.
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21
Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread top with some frosting.
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22
Top with another cake layer and spread top with more frosting.
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23
Top with remaining cake layer and frost cake with remaining frosting.
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24
Working quickly, invert paper with frozen web onto another sheet of parchment or wax paper and peel off paper quickly but carefully.
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25
invert spider web carefully onto cake and let soften at room temperature until overhanging edges begin to droop.
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26
press overhang gently against side of cake.
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27
Cake may be assembled and decorated 4 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper, chilled.
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28
Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
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29
Just before serving, peel chocolate spider from paper and put on cake.
