Dark Chocolate Cake

This is an excellent chocolate cake! Tops my my grandmother's famous buttermilk chocolate cake, which my mom & I have never quite been able to master, and is extremely simple & fool-proof.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa (dutch process or dark cocoa preferably)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4-1 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. 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. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.
9. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks.
10. 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.

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