Birthday Chocolate Cake

I usually only bake cakes for celebrations - birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc.  One Thursday afternoon not too long ago I was toiling away at work - staring at the neverending dreary rain outside, when the following thought came to my mind:  'Why not bake a cake tonight?'  Indeed, why not? A sinfully rich chocolate double layer cake, just because?  No pressure to  make it look perfect - no rushing to get it finished in time for the party. Just bake, admire, and enjoy.  A whole cake, just for us.

I did have one other reason.  The last time I used this recipe was for a birthday cake.  I have used this recipe in the past with outstanding results.  It's my go-to chocolate cake recipe.  I don't know what happened the last time - it was dry.  It was dry, and I was disappointed.  And, in the world of baking, there are not too many worse things than a dry cake.  So - this was redemption.  And what a sweet redemption it was!  To my relief, it was almost better than I remembered.  Sigh of contentment.

Birthday Chocolate Cake
from chatelaine 

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Fry’s
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. 

Cream butter with granulated and brown sugars in a larger bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well in between.  Add vanilla and continue to mix.  Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture and add half of the buttermilk. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk.  Pour batter into two greased 9 inch round cake pans.  A parchment or wax paper liner is always a good idea (Mom's tip).

Bake at 325 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Mine took closer to 30 minutes this time around. 

Frost with chocolate icing, take a moment to admire, then dig right in. Unless of course you are supposed to be saving it for a special occasion.  In that case, hands off.