Yummiest Chocolate Cake Ever

Ahhhhh - Hattie's Chocolate Cake for my birthday!

Right click on the cake picture to save a printer friendly version of this recipe for the World's Yummiest Chocolate Cake.

In late December 2009, my husband learned he had blockages in one of his arteries and needed to have some non-invasive cardiac surgery. We eat a pretty healthy diet, but this cake was an exception to our good habits. Doug's birthday came less than a week after his cardiac procedure, so we decided to make a few adjustments to this recipe. The cake came out just as dark, moist and delicious without the saturated fat.

If you're not eating butter or hydrogenated oils these days, try this delicious chocolate cake with the following adaptations. I made it more heart-healthy by substituting oil for the butter, adjusting the leavening, and slightly modifying the mixing steps.

2 C. sugar
1 3/4 C. flour
3/4 C. dark, unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 C. soy milk (or milk)
1/2 C. canola oil
1 C. boiling water
1 heaping spoonful instant coffee crystals (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease, flour and line bottoms of 2 9-inch cake pans with waxed paper.

Mix all dry ingredients together (except instant coffee) in a bowl or mixer bowl.
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients an beat at low/medium speed for just 2 minutes.
Dissolve the coffee crystals (if you're using them) in the boiling water, then stir this hot liquid right into the batter.

NOTE: Batter will be thin.

Divide batter into the two cake pans; bake 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool layers in pans on rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans, peel off wax paper, and allow to cool completely.