Mix chocolate, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan; cook and stir until thick and smooth. Stir in apple sauce and vanilla, cool. Combine and sift dry ingredients. Cream shortening with remaining 1 cup sugar; blend in eggs one at a time. Alternately add dry ingredients and remaining 3/4 cup milk to creamed mixure. blending well after each addition. Blend in chocolate mixture. Turn batter into 2 greased and floured 8" layer pans. Bake at 350 for 40 min. or until done. Split each cooled layer to make 4 layers. Apple Fluff Frosting: Beat topping mix with milk. When mixture begins to stiffen and form peaks, add applesauce and vanilla. Beat until firm enough to spread. Makes about 3 cups. Apple Cream Frosting: Beat together 1 large pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, 4 cups 10X sugar and 1 Tbs. grated lemon rind. When mixture is fluffy, stir in 2 to 3 Tbs. canned applesauce; chill. Spread between and on top layers Posted to Bakery-Shoppe Digest by travelers4now@juno.com (Gary & Doris McCoy) on Mar 30, 1998