Chocolate cake

I was *ahem* in the mood for chocolate cake and found an excuse to bring one to a get-together with friends tomorrow. Here's the result:

Okay, the picture doesn't do it justice. And I may need to start looking for a cake platter. (Don't tell--the foil is covering the Halloween plate from the neighbor's welcome tray.) But trust me--if you are in the mood for a yummy chocolate cake, especially if your chocolate tastes lean toward the darker side, this is a great recipe. Special thanks to my sister for alerting me to the recipe and for answering my last-minute questions about the recipe this morning.

Here it is:

North Douglas Chocolate Cake

Chocolate lovers go out-of-control around this cake. It is the perfect old-fashioned birthday layer cake; its always welcome at an office potluck, tastes very good at the beach, and seems right for a boat launching. There are sure to be several reasons you need to make one right now. Linda Zagar, our gifted baker fro North Douglas, is the cause of it all.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking and cooling time: 1 hour
Completion time: 30 minutes

1 cup water
¼ pound butter
½ cup safflower or corn oil
3 ½ tablespoons sifted Dutch process dark cocoa (other cocoas produce a lighter, sweeter cake and icing, more like milk chocolate)
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (I used regular milk today)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing
¼ pound plus 4 tablespoons butter
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
½ cup sifted Dutch process dark cocoa
3 tablespoons milk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 375°F and arrange racks so they are evenly spaced in oven. Generously coat two 8- or 9- inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour
2. Combine water, butter, oil, and cocoa in a small pan and bring to a boil.
3. While butter and water are coming to a boil, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
4. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
5. When butter and water are boiling, pour over sifted flour. Stir just until combined. Add egg mixture and gently fold together. Pour into prepared cake pans. **The cake batter is really thin and runny. It scared me today when I was putting it together. But it baked just fine**
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (8-inch pans will take a little longer than 9-inch pans). Remove from oven when a probe inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to rest briefly in pans, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.
7. To prepare icing: in a medium bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and stir gently until the are partially combined. Stir in milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and spreadable. (It may be necessary to add additional sifted confectioners’ sugar if mixture seems too soft.)
8. To assemble cake: Place first layer, top side down, on bottom of an inverted cake pan. Spread with ¾ cup icing. Place second layer on top of first, top side down. Spread with 1 cup icing, allowing a little to go over the sides. Using a straight-sided metal spatula, ice sides of cake, filling crack between layers, with icing. Smooth out top of cake and use remaining icing to decorate cake as you like. Chill cake briefly to firm icing.
7. Using a large spatula, transfer cake to a cake plate. Serve at once or cover and serve at room temperature

Yield: 1 8- or 9-inch, 2-layer cake