Traditional Chocolate Cake

Traditional Chocolate Cake (from scratch) 

For all of you who think that chocolate cakes from scratch are dry–prepare to be blown away!

Ingredients 

3/4 cup cocoa 3/4 cup very hot coffee 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temp. 1/4 cup oil 2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 11/4 cups buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Directions 

GREASE 3 (8 inch), round cake pans. Cover the bottom of pans with wax paper; grease the wax paper. Flour the wax paper and sides of pans. COMBINE cocoa and the hot coffee in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy; add the vanilla and oil; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition until blended. COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl, by hand use a wire whisk and blend these ingredients together for approximately 30 seconds. Add this to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. I like to blend in at least half of the flour mixture first. If you minimize stirring once the flour and liquid are together you will have a more fine-grained and tender cake. STIR in the cocoa mixture and pour the batter into the 3 pans. BAKE at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes; remove from pans.