Classic Chocolate Cake
 
Ingredients
For the Cake:
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup natural cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 Tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Chocolate Frosting:
  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup natural cocoa, sifted
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
For the Cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
  2. In bowl whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together. Try to smoosh most of the lumps of cocoa until the dry ingredients are fully combined.
  3. In another small bowl, stir the oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla together.
  4. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the pan.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a couple of sticky crumbs.
  7. Let cool in the pan.
For the Chocolate Frosting:
  1. Beat the butter and cocoa with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Beat until fluffy. The color of the frosting will lighten up.
Assembly:
  1. Place the cake on a platter.
  2. Smear or pipe frosting onto the top of the cake. I used a Wilton 6B star piping tip.
Recipe by Birch Tree Baking at https://www.birchtreebaking.com/classic-chocolate-cake/