Colette's Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 eggs -- at room temperature

1 cup milk -- at room temperature

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup hot -- strong coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and bottom of 2 (9-inch) cake pans with shortening and then dust them with flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the coffee. Mix at low speed until blended, scaping the sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. Slowly add the coffee while mixing on low. Mix until smooth. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire racks for about 20 minutes, then invert onto racks and remove pans. Cool completely.