Dark Chocolate Cake

Marg (CaymanDesigns)'s Note:

While it takes slightly longer to prepare this recipe than a box mix, the resulting moist, delicious cake makes it VERY worth the little extra time. I consider this 'perfect' chocolate cake. This cake is excellent with both with Butter Cream Icing (Buttercream Frosting) and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (the dark flavor version). (I use Decorator Buttercream Icing when I'm decorating the cake.) I love how the leftovers are still moist even a day or two later. (I store my loosely covered with plastic wrap.) I use this recipe constantly for cakes I take to parties and I always have at least a few people ask for the recipe. :) My father adores this cake with Butter Cream Icing (Buttercream Frosting) on it. For his birthday, Father's Day etc. I make him cupcakes with the icing on them and individually wrap them. He keeps them in his freezer for when he wants "a piece of cake". I've never eaten them, but he claims they are as good as when they are fresh. Considering how picky he is about his cake, I'm pretty sure they are. ;) Because they have a tendency to overflow if you fill them more than 2/3 full, I usually get about 27-28 cupcakes per batch. A few reviewers seem upset that I don't 'credit' the Hershey's cocoa can for this recipe. I didn't because that isn't where I got the recipe from. ;) (BTW, the FAQ explains you can't copyright a list of ingredients) Also, if you use dutch process cocoa or some other dark cocoa, it will be more chocolaty than when you use the brand already mentioned. ;) Please note: baking cocoa isn't hot chocolate drink mix!! Baking cocoa contains no sugar and it is found on the baking aisle. Chocolate drink mixes that you add to milk or water to drink WILL NOT work in this recipe. Happy Baking!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 20

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ¾ cups flour
• ¾ cup baking cocoa (dutch process or dark cocoa preferably)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾-1 cup boiling water (see note below)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans or one 13x9 inch pan.
3. In large mixer bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
4. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in boiling water by hand (batter will be thin). NOTE: I have tried it with 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup boiling water and we prefer it with less than 1 cup water. I usually use between 2/3 & 3/4 cups. The cake is still very moist but it doesn't seem to "fall" as much as it cools. This might have to do with our high humidity or brand of flour or other factors so I don't know if it will work for everyone.
6. Pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round 9-inch pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (Do not use 8-inch pans or the batter will overflow.).
8. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks.

Reviews

[essie0]

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to make a friend's wedding cake. We tried several chocolate cake recipes, including this one. We had two finalists: this recipe and another, more complex cake. We actually took the cakes to a restaurant and had others help with the decision. Hands down, this cake was the winner!! Guests at the wedding also loved it and kept complimenting me. I made this cake again for a friend's baby's first birthday and several people said it was the best cake I had made to date! It's so moist and chocolatey.
The one change i did make was to use 3/4 cup strong coffee (espresso works great) instead of just the hot water. It adds another dimension of deliciousness!

[ChefMom08]

This is an excellent chocolate cake! I halved this recipe and it made 16 regular sized cupcakes. Baked at 350* for around 14 minutes and they came out prefect and moist! I just tasted one fresh out of the oven and it is awesome even without frosting! I can't imagine how delicious they'll be with some homemade vanilla mint frosting! Thank you for this keeper recipe!

[paagiela]

It was a hit! I took another rater's suggestion and used only 1 and a half cups of sugar because I layered the cake with chocolate mousse and covered it with chocolate ganache so I knew that the cake didn't need to be sweet with all the other components. It came out great! My guests were impressed and actually complimented the cake part itself. I forgot to take a picture and I really regret it because it came out beautiful for my first cake not out of a box.