MOIST Chocolate Cake

Either my "Dry Cake Curse" has been lifted because the Baking Gods have finally taken pity on me, or I'm just getting more skilled at baking cakes with all my recent practice (4 cakes in less than 2 weeks - the first 2 of which were drier than the Sahara).  But then again, I think maybe I've only just recently found some very good recipes.

I was very happy (ecstatic actually) with my last chocolate cake by Ina Garten (even though the picture below was not very impressive, the cake itself was delicious and moist).  See previous post.  Even still, I had a nagging feeling that I should try one more recipe, just to see...

I found the "Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Chocolate Cake" recipe while perusing one of my favorite blogs "Obsessed with Baking".  I would include a link but I'm not that advanced in the world of blogging yet. Blogger "Steph", uses the recipe in several posts, and the fact that the recipe was similar to Ina Garten's recipe, in that it uses oil instead of butter, I decided to try it out.  Success!  I'm so happy!  The cake is delicious and chocolatey and more importantly, MOIST!  I did take a couple liberties with the recipe, I switched out the cup of boiling water for 8 ounces of espresso.  And I used Fry's Cocoa (that's all I had)  so I guess I have to change the name of the recipe.) Regardless, it was delicious!  I'm on a roll!  Go me! (And thank you Steph!)

Perfect Chocolate Chocolate Cake Recipe:

(found on "Obsessed With Baking Blog" and adapted ever so slightly)

2 c. sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa (sifted)

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda 

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 t. vanilla

1 c. freshly brewed espresso or coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans.

Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water (or coffee of espresso).   Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack.  Cool completely.

As soon as it came out of the oven, I knew it was going to be good and moist, 

without even tasting it...

I also loved the fact that the layers came out perfectly even, no need to trim...

making layering them so easy...

and icing it a breeze.  If all my pictures seem like overkill, 

it's only because I'm trying to redeem myself.

I used a family "recipe" for the icing.  It's the same frosting that's always covered all my grandma's, great aunts' and mom's brownies, cakes and cupcakes.  I've always loved it...problem is there's not really an exact recipe per se.  It's a "dollop" of this and a "dash" of that and you simply keeping adding stuff until you get it the way you like it.  So, today I actually took the time to record what I used so that I could post it.  This is not ground breaking, but it is good. 

Really Good Chocolate Frosting:

(family 'recipe')

4 ounces of cream cheese (softened)

1 c. butter (room temp.)

3 c. icing sugar

1/2 cup cocoa sifted

1 T. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

1 T. milk

Beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of the icing sugar and the cocoa and mix on low speed to combine.  Beat at higher speed until creamy. Add vanilla.  Beat.  Add remaining cup of icing sugar and salt (to taste) and beat until creamy.  Add milk one tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you want for decorating your cake.  (I only added 1 T.