Basic Chocolate Cake

By Coldsnap46

Unfrosted layers can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature...
Makes two 9-inch cakes.

Ingredients

• Cooking Spray
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch process)
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temp
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.

3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined.

4. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. **The batter will be thin.

5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.

Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level if desired.