My Mom's Moist Chocolate Cake

    The first time my Mom made this cake for me was after I had my second child.  After the long hours of acting as my labor coach, taking care of my toddler, making meals, jumping up every time the baby cried during the night making sure I was okay or if I needed help, doing the long walks and patting the baby if baby was not to be consoled; my Mom decided she needed to make a delicious cake for me.   She called back home to my father and had him recite the recipe (I can hear her talking to my father even after these many years directing him to the recipe's location and telling him what kind of paper it was written on).  She was so kind and generous with her time and care. Her help speed up my recovery and she surrounded my family with love.    

   I make this cake often.  It is used for at least one birthday during the year.  The cake is moist, chocolaty, and you don't need expensive ingredients to have a delicious dessert, though you can use that special cocoa powder if desired. It is a good go-to cake and when anyone gets a craving for chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, this is the cake.  The frosting is different - I have not found a similar recipe that uses a flour and milk base like it.  The consistency is similar to whipped cream but heavier and not too sweet.

My Mom's Moist Chocolate Cake

Makes 2  eight or nine inch round cakes or 13x9 inch baking pan

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup oil (of your choice of a mild or neutral flavored oil)

1 cup hot coffee

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter and flour baking pans.

In the bowl of stand mixer whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa and sugar.

Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes (batter will be thin).

Pour into pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center is crumb free.

Cool cakes 15 minutes before removing from pans. 
Cool completely before frosting.  I sometimes speed cool for 15 minutes or so in the freezer.

Favorite Vanilla Frosting

1 cup milk

5 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup softened butter (or use ½ cup of butter and ½ cup shortening)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine milk and flour in a medium saucepan and cook until thick, whisking out lumps.

Cover and refrigerator for 2 hours or until cold.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.

Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes.

Frost the cake.

Frosting will cover a two layer cake and generously cover a sheet cake style cake.