How to Make a Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for cake:

• • 1 3/4 cups plain / all purpose flour
• • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)
• • 2 cups white sugar
• • 1 tsp salt
• • 2 eggs
• • 1 cup milk
• • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• • 2 tsp vanilla extract
• • 1 cup boiling water

Ingredients for frosting:

• • 200g / 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• • 2 1/2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar
• • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• • 1/4 cup milk
• • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C°/350°F (160°C fan). Read Note 4 regarding shelf positions.
2. Grease 2 x 22cm/9" cake pans with butter, then line the base.
3. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add Sugar and salt. Whisk briefly to combine.
4. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Whisk well to combine until lump free - about 30 seconds.
5. Add boiling water and whisk to incorporate. The batter is VERY thin.
6. Pour batter into cake pans.
7. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. See Note 4 regarding cook time if pans are on different shelves.
8. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks upside down
9. For the frosting, place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attached. Beat for 3 minutes on high until it becomes pale.
10. Add half the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat for 3 minutes - start slow, increase to high.
11. Add remaining icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat again for 3 minutes.
12. Add milk and vanilla if using. Beat again for 1 minute.
13. Spread onto cake or spoon into frosting bag and pipe.