Classic and Easy Chocolate Cake

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Step 2

   Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. The cakes will release better if the bottoms of pans are lined with a circle of parchment paper.

3. Step 3

   In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk until everything is blended.

4. Step 4

   In a separate mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla, and whisk to combine. Then whisk in boiling water.

5. Step 5

   Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until combined.

6. Step 6

   Pour batter into prepared pans and transfer to oven.

7. Step 7

   Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, or with a crumb or two attached. Start testing after 27 minutes to avoid over-baking.

8. Step 8

   Cool cakes for 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack. Loosen edges by running a knife along sides, turn cakes out onto racks, and cool for at least another hour.

9. Step 9

   Once cool, you can trim your cakes to be more level, eating any scraps or keep as is. Place one layer on a cake stand, then cover with a layer of frosting. Place the second layer, top side-down on the buttercream. Finish the cake with the remaining buttercream, as desired.