Classic (Easy) Chocolate Cake

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, sprinkle with flour and line with parchment rounds. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, soda and salt.) Whisk together until well combined.
3. Add all the rest of the ingredients- (eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil and vanilla,) and whisk until smooth, clump-free and glossy. (Don't over-mix)
4. Divide the batter evenly among the pans, and bake for 30-40 minutes, (depending on your oven,) or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

1. In a medium-large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar and cocoa and mix with an electric mixer until the dry ingredients have been worked into the butter, and the mixture is thick and paste-like. Fold in the melted chocolate and then add the extract and 3 tablespoons of milk or cream and mix on high speed until smooth and fluffy. At this point, create thicker or thinner frosting by adding more milk/cream or powdered sugar as needed.
2. Frost and layer cake as desired.