Tara's Chocolate Cake

This is a recipe that was shared by my dear friends Rob and Tara who live in a land far far away...ok maybe it's just a few states away but still, it seems far! They said CHOCOLATE and CAKE in the same breath and I couldn't resist. Boy am I glad I listened to them, this was delicious. I cut out some of the butter in favor of applesauce and it was still really really good. I imagine it's just flat out deadly if made the way it was intended. I also cut the recipe by one-third because two people really don't need a full cake (let's be honest, I'd eat the whole thing and nobody needs that). Here is Tara's recipe:

Tara's Chocolate Cake & Icing

Cake:
2 cups boiling water (or coffee) - I used coffee
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 - 9 inch round cake pans. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool


Icing:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
5 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Mix and use on cooled cake!

AEM