Easy Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Cooling Time: 1 hour (the longest hour of your life) Total Time: 2 hours Serving Size: 12 (or one very ambitious individual)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar (because life is sweet)
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (it’s all-purpose for a reason)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the darker the better, right?)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (it’s the yeast we can do)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda (not to be confused with baking powder)
• 1 teaspoon salt (just a pinch, darling)
• 2 eggs (unscrambled, please)
• 1 cup milk (moo juice!)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (but we’re making cake, not vegetables?)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (because we’re fancy)
• 1 cup boiling water (it’s getting steamy in here)

For the Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (let’s get buttered up)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (more cocoa, more happiness)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (a snowfall of sweetness)
• 1/3 cup milk (back at it again with the moo juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can’t get enough of this stuff)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (or one, and just do it twice if your kitchen is lacking in the pan department).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until it looks like the sand you wish you could be sunbathing in right now.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. You can use a hand mixer, but if you’re looking to build some muscle, do it by hand.
4. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be thin, but don’t panic! This is not a baking fail, it’s all part of the plan.
5. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans. Put the pans in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely (this is a good time to ponder the meaning of life or just lick the batter off the mixer).
7. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Melt the butter and stir in cocoa. Add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed until it reaches spreading consistency. Mix in vanilla.
8. Once the cake layers are completely cooled, frost the top of one layer, then place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Serve and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

A Brief History and Variations:

Chocolate cake is believed to have originated in the 18th century, made possible by the discovery of grinding cocoa beans between heavy stones. Since then, it’s been causing wide smiles and happy stomachs all over the globe.

For variations, try adding a raspberry filling between the layers, or maybe swap the vanilla extract in the frosting with mint or orange extract for a citrusy or refreshing twist. You could also sprinkle some chopped nuts

Easy Double Layer Chocolate Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Cooling Time: 1 hour (the longest hour of your life) Total Time: 2 hours Serving Size: 12 (or one very ambitious individual)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar (because life is sweet)
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (it’s all-purpose for a reason)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the darker the better, right?)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (it’s the yeast we can do)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda (not to be confused with baking powder)
• 1 teaspoon salt (just a pinch, darling)
• 2 eggs (unscrambled, please)
• 1 cup milk (moo juice!)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (but we’re making cake, not vegetables?)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (because we’re fancy)
• 1 cup boiling water (it’s getting steamy in here)

For the Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine (let’s get buttered up)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (more cocoa, more happiness)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (a snowfall of sweetness)
• 1/3 cup milk (back at it again with the moo juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (can’t get enough of this stuff)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (or one, and just do it twice if your kitchen is lacking in the pan department).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until it looks like the sand you wish you could be sunbathing in right now.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. You can use a hand mixer, but if you’re looking to build some muscle, do it by hand.
4. Stir in boiling water. The batter will be thin, but don’t panic! This is not a baking fail, it’s all part of the plan.
5. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans. Put the pans in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely (this is a good time to ponder the meaning of life or just lick the batter off the mixer).
7. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. Melt the butter and stir in cocoa. Add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed until it reaches spreading consistency. Mix in vanilla.
8. Once the cake layers are completely cooled, frost the top of one layer, then place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.

Serve and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

A Brief History and Variations:

Chocolate cake is believed to have originated in the 18th century, made possible by the discovery of grinding cocoa beans between heavy stones. Since then, it’s been causing wide smiles and happy stomachs all over the globe.

For variations, try adding a raspberry filling between the layers, or maybe swap the vanilla extract in the frosting with mint or orange extract for a citrusy or refreshing twist. You could also sprinkle some chopped nuts on top for an added crunch. Want to add a coffee kick? Substitute the boiling water with hot coffee.