Amazingly Moist Chocolate Cake

This cake was yummy. I was going to do a peanut butter cream cheese frosting and a whipped cream filling, but it was a Sunday, and we didn't have any whipping cream. So I did a basic chocolate buttercream (cocoa powder, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla ) and a whipped peanut butter frosting. I didn't really care for the peanut butter frosting, so I won't post it ('cause no one likes a yucky frosting).

Chocolate Cake (that happens to be yummy AND really moist)

Makes 3 (somewhat thin) cake layers (or you could experiment with cupcakes)

 

adapted a bit by Smitten Kitchen from Sky High: Irresistable Tripe-Layer Cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour


• 2 1/2 cups sugar


• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder


• 2 teaspoons baking soda


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup vegetable oil (or any other neutral vegetable oil)


• 1 cup sour cream


• 1 1/2 cups room temperature tap water


• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the good stuff- not the imitation)


• 2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8 inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper**


2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add sugar and whisk to combine well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans. ***


3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. Deb of Smitten Kitchen said that because of the softness of the cakes (hense, the moistness), to place cakes in the frezzer for 30 minutes to firm them up a bit before frosting to prevent little morsels of cake flecked in the frosting.


4. Frost with whatever your heart desires. Maybe Whipped Buttercream Vanilla Frosting?

**this step took a few minutes, but I believe it to be important- the cake doesn't stick, and the cake bakes with a flat top, rather than with a big bulge

*** The cake batter is very very thin. Don't fret.