Extreme Chocolate Cake

Our friend Sarah found this recipe on allrecipes.com. She did a search for chocolate cake and printed the one with the highest reviews. She definitely chose well that's for sure! All recipes always has a quote right under the title of the recipe and this one says: "A rich moist chocolate cake with a chocolate buttercream icing. This is the best cake in the world!" I'd have to agree that this is the yummiest chocolate cake and as a result the only recipe I use! It makes a 4 layer tier cake, but you can of course be as creative as you'd like with the recipe!

Note: If you're wondering about the picture of the cake above, Chris made it for his brother Ben on his birthday. Chris and Ben love Volkswagen's (and are both working on restoring old VW Bugs), so Chris put the VW symbol on it!

Extreme Chocolate Cake

Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute applesauce for half or all of the oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Icing
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
5 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour* two 9 inch cake pans.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer.

Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two or three prepared pans.

If you’re using two pans: bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

If you’re using three pans: bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.

4 Layer Tier Cake Instructions

Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

3 Layer Tier Cake Instructions
Instead of using two 9-inch cake pans use three 8-inch cake pans.  This way you won't need to cut the cakes.  Cover each layer with a layer of frosting and then stack them together onto a serving plate.  Frost the outside of the cake. 

Enjoy!

*Instead of greasing and flouring the pans I like to spread shortening around the outside of the pans and then put parchment paper on the bottom of the pan (I use a pencil to trace the pan and then cut it out). The cakes pop right out of the pans this way and then you just peel the parchement paper off.