Chocolate Cake (5 of 115+)

Chocolate Cake

This cake is so good it doesn't even need frosting!

• 1¾ cups flour, plus more for pans
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• ¾ cups cocoa powder
  
• 2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp kosher salt
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  
• ½ cup vegetable oil
  
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 8 inch round cake pans and flour.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

*For frosting: Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.