Chocolate Cake 10/10


2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c cocoa
2 c sugar
1 c veg. oil
1 c hot coffee
1 c milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
sift together dry.  add oil, coffee, milk.  mix 2 minutes.  add eggs and vanilla.  
beat 2 minutes.  batter will be thin.  pour into layer pans or 9x13 pan.  bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes.  
cool 15 minutes.

Source:  My Aunt, Terry Doll.  She got it from somewhere else but I have no way of tracking that source.



My changes:
Add 1 1/2 tsp orange extract.

Instead of plain coffee, use espresso or (coffee) toddy.  
(To make toddy, soak about 1/3 c of fresh, coarsely ground coffee in about 1 c of water for at least 8 hours.
Strain grounds away.  This makes a very concentrated, highly caffeinated coffee.)

Use orange juice instead of coffee.  (This makes a very heavy cake -- the acid in the orange juice may need 
to be counter-acted with more baking powder but I haven't played with that yet.)

Add almond extract.

Variation:
Substitute butter for oil
Substitute 2 c buttermilk for coffee & milk
Add 200 g dark chocolate, melted in butter first

Chocolate butter frosting:
1/3 c butter
100 g dark chocolate, melted in butter
4 c powdered sugar
2/3 c unsweetened baking cocoa
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
add buttermilk to get smooth consistency
Spread on cake when cake is cold (frozen is best) and frosting is approximately room temperature