Unbelievably easy and moist Chocolate cake.

Recently this has been my go to cake.The original recipe is a little tetchy, but I don't go to that trouble (and my mixer is from heck, spraying me with ingredients when I don't hold a towel across the top of any bowl). I usually make a simple buttercream type frosting (shown below. The best tip I've had recently is that I can substitute some of the confectioner's sugar with flour, which gives me the volume of dry ingredients I need while cutting the sweetness which I have always found overpowering. I made this for the girls' birthday party and no one seemed to notice any difference in the frosting so I will continue to make this substitution going forward and be grateful. With thses changes, neither the cake nor the frosting are too sweet. If you prefer even less sweetness, sprinkle the top of the cake with confectioner's sugar, perhaps in a stencil, and hve a not too sweet, not too rich, easy to make in a few minutes chocolate cake: what could be better?

• 1 cup boiling water (really. Use your water cooker.)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used DP because I had it on hand and it was great)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I used 3+)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup/ 225 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 (175 grams)cups packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 (160 grams) cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F (175C). Butter 3 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottoms of each with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.I use a 13x9.

Whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.(I never sift.)

Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy , then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour and cocoa mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter may look curdled). (totally don't have the patience— I just start a bit,then add eggs to help bind, then start adding dry and liquid alternately and beat until it looks mixed.)

Pour in pan, put in oven. In mine at 175, takes between 25 and 30 minutes. Cupcakes (24) take 20-25 as well, when I tried them. Check early because this is a wonderfully moist cake. Bundt would take a little longer.
Simplified from the below recipe.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Devils-Food-Cake-with-Brown-Sugar-Buttercream-104574#ixzz1185YgXC8

Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1+ tablespoons milk

Makes: About about 1 1/2 cups of icing.
(Medium Consistency)

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using. Add more milk for liquid consistency.

altered from http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing