Our Family’s Perfect Chocolate Cake

by

Everyone has a different perception of the perfect chocolate cake.  While I have many favorite chocolate cake recipes, I believe this one pleases the masses.  It is a super moist cake with an old fashioned chocolate butter frosting.  When my children were younger, I was in search of the perfect chocolate cake and perfect chocolate frosting.  I made so many variations of cake and frosting for taste testing, eventually the kids would come home, see a chocolate cake under the cake dish and exclaim, “Oh, no, not another chocolate cake!”  Take one for the team, kids and help me pick the PERFECT chocolate  cake for our family!  We’ve come too far to give up now!  Finally, this is the version we all voted on and we haven’t looked back since.  When I say chocolate cake, our friends and family agree that this IS the perfect chocolate cake!  If you only have one cake recipe in your recipe box, this should be it!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour*
  • 3/4 cup high quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs (another reason you should consider having hens)
  • 1 cup whole milk (if I could just convince my husband I need a dairy cow)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

    Directions

    1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (I like to cut two parchment rounds prior to greasing and flouring to ensure that the cake will never stick).

    2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

    3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.  Makes 12 servings.

    Perfect Chocolate Frosting:

    • 10 Tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 Tablespoons) unsalted Land O Lakes Butter (never margarine)
    • 2/3 heaping cup Hershey’s Cocoa
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1/3 cup whole milk
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

    *Tip:  How to measure flour properly for perfect baking:  When measuring flour, scoop your flour lightly into your DRY measuring cup and do not tap cup or pack flour.  Mound the measuring cup with flour and then level with the flat side of a butter knife.

     

    1 thought on “Our Family’s Perfect Chocolate Cake”

    Leave a Comment