Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

This is the recipe I always use for birthday cakes.  Nothing fancy, but it always works, it is quick to make, and it is chocolate.  Enough said!

Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, stir cocoa into boiling water until completely dissolved.  Let cool.  Add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed for one minute, then on high speed for three minutes.  Pour batter evenly into two greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans.  Smooth tops.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool in pans for five minutes before removing from pans.  Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 cups powdered (icing) sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter with 2 cups of icing sugar.  Mix in cocoa powder.  Beat in vanilla, 2 Tbsp of milk and the remaining 1 cup of icing sugar.  Gradually add the remaining 2 Tbsp of milk to make the frosting a good consistency to spread.