Recipe Details

You can also use this cake batter to make two dozen cupcakes: Fill lined cupcake tins two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes, rotating once.

Ingredients

• Softened unsalted butter, for pans

• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• ¾ cup low-fat buttermilk, room temperature

• ¾ cup hot tap water

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

• Chocolate Frosting for One-Bowl Chocolate Cake

Description

1. Preheat oven and prep pans:

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess.

2. Combine dry ingredients.

   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add wet ingredients:

   Whisk in eggs, buttermilk, water, vanilla, and oil.

4. Move batter to pans and bake:

   Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes.

5. Cool cakes:

   Transfer pans to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack, remove parchment, then turn top-side up (to prevent sticky tops from sticking to rack); let cool completely.

6. Fill and assemble cake:

   Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over top of one cooled cake layer. Top with remaining layer.

7. Frost cake:

   Spread a thin coat (about 1 cup) of frosting over top and sides of cake to create a "crumb coat." Refrigerate about 20 minutes, then frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.