Our Favorite Chocolate Cake

This is our favorite chocolate cake recipe. It’s simple to make and always turns out moist and delicious. The key to this cake is using good quality cocoa powder. We like to use a Dutch-processed cocoa, but any good quality unsweetened cocoa will work.

Ingredients

• -1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• -1 cup sugar
• -3 eggs
• -1 teaspoon baking powder
• -1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• -1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
• -2 cups all-purpose flour
• -1/4 teaspoon salt
• -‘ 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract OR 2 teaspoons almond extract
• -‘ 1 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 13×9 inch cake pan.

2. Cream together the shortening and the white sugar. Add the melted chocolate and eggs, mix well.

3. Sift the flour with baking soda and salt. Add alternately with 1 cup of milk to the shortening mixture. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean once cool frost with Coffee Frosting

5 To Make Frosting: Mix together instant or leftover coffee, 1/4 cup milk or cream, cocoa powder, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and confectioners’ sugar until of spreading consistency