Irene's Chocolate Cake

 

It is my great pleasure to share this very special recipe with everyone! I got this from a co-worker who was about 82 years old at the time (named Irene). I had clocked out from work my 4th day on a new job. I was having a bad night (the stress was personal, not work-related). I sat down in the employee break room, and Irene noticed that I was feeling down... So she opened a Tupperware container with a HUGE rectangle of rich, dark chocolate cake inside, and asked me,

"Hun, would you like some chocolate cake? Its made from scratch, not from a box." 

I gladly accepted, and she shared half of it with me. The cake was delicious! Moist, dark, and very chocolaty! I had never had a homemade cake recipe turn out this good before. So I BEGGED Irene for the recipe. The next day, she brought in the recipe she had written on old, weathered paper. I snapped photos of it with my smart phone, and typed it up after I got home-- and of course, made some more at home for myself! Now I would like to pass on this delicious recipe. Irene says you can use regular flour, and sometimes she does (I did the first time). But she prefers cake flour. So I tried that too, and it came out wonderful-- King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour. I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Irene’s Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour (cake flour is best)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Icing:
8 tbsp butter, softened
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make the icing first. Blend the powdered sugar with the butter, very well. Add cocoa, milk and vanilla. Keep the mixer on low, until everything is well incorporated. Store in refrigerator until after cake has cooled. Stir again, before frosting.

3. Lightly grease and flour 2 cake pans (9 inches), or for a 1-layer cake, use a large pan (13x9-inch).

4. In a mixing bowl, blend together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda). Set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, mix together the the sugar, salt, eggs (whisking in 1 at a time), milk, oil, vanilla, and water; add water slowly, while mixing.

6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Pour batter into pans, making sure the levels are even.

If you are using 2 nine-inch pans, bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If using one 13x9-inch pan, bake 35 to 40 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and place on a protected surface. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, before removing from pan and/or frosting. Frost cake with icing and serve.