Chocolate Cake

This cake is so easy and so delicious!

3/4 Cup butter, softened
3 Eggs
2 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Cups sugar
2 tsps. vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes and scrap the sides if needed. Add eggs 1 at a time (or all at once, I didn't taste a difference) beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. (You might be engulfed in a tiny cocoa cloud but it's not too bad if you add milk right after the chocolate stuff.)

Spread batter into sprayed or floured pans.  Bake at 350.  13x9 and 8 inch pans need 34 to 40 minutes. Two 9 inch pans need 30 to 34 minutes.  And cupcakes need 20 to 25 minutes. Or bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
The frosting that goes really well with this cake is a chocolate-chip peanut-butter glaze.  Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of peanut butter over the stove top, stirring frequently so the chocolate doesn't burn on the bottom.  Poor over cake or cup cakes and spread with spatula. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.   This frosting really seals in the moisture of the cake but you'll want to store it in the fridge so it doesn't melt all over your counter, but maybe you colder climates won't have trouble. :-)