Devil's Fudge Cake

This recipe is from the Culinary Institute of America's Baking At Home cookbook. It's one of the many, many items that went into the making of my daughter's first birthday cake. And ooooh weeee, was this ever chocolatey, especially since it was paired with Colette Peters' recipe for Chocolate Truffle Filling.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Yields: 2 layers

Ingredients

•  cooking spray, with flour
• 2 1⁄2 cups cake flour
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3  large eggs
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups warm water
• 1  cup  cocoa, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Coat 2 8-inch pans with cooking spray with flour in it.
3. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk atttachment.
4. On low speed add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Add the butter and mix for 2 minutes, until smooth.
6. Add the water and mix for 2 minutes, until smooth.
7. Add the cocoa and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until evenly mixed throughout.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each ingredient addition.
9. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
10. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until cake tests done.
11. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.
12. Cool completely before filling or icing; you may even wish to refrigerate the layers for a couple of hours.