Old Fashioned Chocolate cake- with strawberries

This is a heavenly chocolate cake and it has not failed me yet. This cake is so moist and delish, that it is perfect naked. It is said that a bite is like a warm hug, a sweet kiss, and a trip to grandma’s all rolled into one. Bake it in cake rounds and frost it–and you might as well stick some candles in it and call it your birthday. You know a sweet 16 or that 21 party all night cause your amazing.

Your Bake Time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients for cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla (see my post to make your own vanilla)
1 2/3 cups milk


Directions for cake
Heat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour two round cake pans. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another, larger bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Add flour mixture and milk; beat again. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. These are tall layers and may take a bit longer to bake than you are accustomed to. However, ovens are different. For me and my oven and my cake pans, it takes the full 35 minutes. Please watch your cake carefully. Do not open the oven during the first 15 minutes of baking–it may make your cake fall. At 25-30 minutes, check your cake with the toothpick test until done. Do not overbake! Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes then invert to cool completely.

If baking as cupcakes, cupcakes will be done in about 15-20 minutes. In a large rectangular baking pan, cake will be done in approximately 30 minutes.

“Perfectly Chocolate” Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting Directions:Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Frost cake and top with strawberries. I even added strawberries inbetween the two layers. ENJOY!