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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
35 minutes
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Makes
two 8-inch layers
Author Notes
This cake is ideal for a simple layer cake for birthdays and parties, but is also delicious on its own without frosting.
Adapted from Hershey's. —Posie (Harwood) Brien
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Ingredients
- For the cake:
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2 cups
sugar
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1 3/4 cups
flour
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3/4 cup
cocoa (not Dutch-processed)
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1 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons
baking soda
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1 teaspoon
salt
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2
eggs
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1 cup
milk
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1/4 cup
vegetable oil
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2 teaspoons
vanilla
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1/4 cup
boiling water
- For the frosting:
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1/2 cup
butter
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2/3 cup
cocoa
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3 cups
powdered sugar
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1/3 cup
milk, plus more as needed
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1 teaspoon
vanilla
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. You can also make this in two 9-inch cake pans -- the layers will just be slightly thinner.
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In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the boiling water and mix to incorporate.
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Pour the batter (it will be very thin -- don't panic!) into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (start checking after 30). The cake is ready when it starts to pull away from the edges and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning the cakes out onto a rack to cool.
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To make the frosting: Melt the butter, then stir it together with the cocoa in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and milk in alternating turns, whisking until your frosting reaches a spreadable consistency (you may need to add a touch more milk). Add the vanilla and mix well.
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To assemble your cake: Add a large dollop of frosting to the first layer. Top with the second layer, add a thin crumb coat of frosting around the outside of the cake. Add your final, thicker layer of frosting. (It will help to freeze the layers briefly before frosting.)
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