Easy Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
1 + 1/2 cup (170 g) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinches salt
1 cup (220 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1/2 cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
1/2 cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
2 eggs
Ingredients for frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) + 3 tablespoons (160 g) softened butter
3 cups (7.2 dl) powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 tablespoons lukewarm milk
Method
Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed. If the batter is too runny you may add slightly more flour.
Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).
Frosting
Cream the softened butter with powdered sugar in a bowl. Add cocoa, vanilla and 4 tablespoons lukewarm milk, and mix until smooth. Do not over-mix. If necessary, add some more milk.
Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake.
This cake should have room temperature when served.
Variations
You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
You may divide the the batter in two and transfer to two bake tins. The baking time would then be about 15-20 minutes.
David wanted me to write about CAKE, so this is a recipe I recently tried. It really is super easy, and I actually used cream cheese icing, and it was divine! Enjoy!