Dark, moist, delicious and simple. Adapted from “Old-fashioned chocolate cake with cocoa frosting,” Bon Appétit, September 1995.
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 cup corn oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (more if desired)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour baking pans.
- Three 8″ or 9″ round cake pans (great for a three layered cake, or a two layered cake for the party and a single round reward to the baker)
- One 9″x13″ Pyrex pan plus one round cake pan (see note on two layered cake above)
- Two square/rectangular pans (a combination of 8″ square, 9″ square or 11″x7″ rectangular – two squares also makes a great layered cake)
- One jelly roll pan (10″x15″ flat pan with 1″ rim – makes a nice big flat sheet perfect for a child’s birthday party)
- Add dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt) into large mixing bowl.
- Add water, oil and vanilla. Whisk to mix well.
- Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over batter in each pan.
- Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25-35 minutes depending on pan. Test often toward end of cooking time so as not to overbake.
- Cool completely. Chill for a couple of hours in the refrigerator for additional moistness.
- Dust with powdered sugar or frost, if desired.
Note
- If making layered cake, cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes; cut around pan sides to loosen cakes; turn cakes out; cool completely before frosting (can also chill cakes in refrigerator before layering to make them a bit firmer).
Here’s the link back to Five minute chocolate cake post.
