Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

This recipe is for a cake that we originally served at our restaurant. We had spent a great deal of time trying to come up with a great chocolate cake recipe that did not require refrigeration or any special handling. Since this recipe does not require any eggs and just a small amount of milk, it fit the bill perfectly. What you have is a cake that is easy to prepare, a cake that is very moist and like most good cakes, it taste better a couple of days later; not that it ever stayed around that long. Every time we fix this cake it always generates a lot of request for the recipe and we are happy to oblige.
HINT: If you want to deepen the chocolate flavor and add another layer to the taste pallet, add about 2TSP instant coffee to the cake batter and about 1TSP instant coffee to the icing. This is just enough to add a little something extra without changing the overall flavor profile.

As usual, let me know what you think and if you have any problems with the recipe. Until next time...

Eat well!
Howard

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake With Cocoa Frosting

For cake
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 cup corn oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For frosting
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
8 tablespoons (about) whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Mix water, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter among pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips over batter in each pan.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out; cool completely.

Make frosting:
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar. Beat in 6 tablespoons milk and vanilla. Add cocoa and remaining 2 cups sugar; beat until blended, thinning with more milk if necessary.

Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chips side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chips side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chips side down. Spread frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)

Serves 8 to 10.