Chocolate Cake

I made a birthday cake for someone in the office today. This cake is usually made as a layer cake, but I decided to try my Nordicware Heart pan that my son and daughter-in-law gave me for Christmas. It lost some of the form with the icing on the cake. This pan makes a beautiful cake that can just be dusted with powdered sugar to get the true design of the pan.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

1-3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust with cocoa two 9" layer cake pans (I've used a 9 x 13 before or a bundt pan). Set aside.

In large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until blended.

Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat well until combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, heat water to boiling. Stir boiling water into cake batter.

Pour the thin batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan, top springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa
4-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3-1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan, melt together butter and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Using mixer, alternately beat in powdered sugar and milk until frosting is smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla. Frost cake as desired.