Today is Worldl Chocolate Day! Celebrate with the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake!

Today is World Chocolate Day, so in honor of this most important day, I'm re-running my recipe for the best-ever Chocolate cake! Don't you just love chocolate cake?!!! Aren't there days when chocolate cake is the best thing you could possibly eat? Well, I do love chocolate cake and there are days when chocolate cake most certainly does put a smile on my face - although since I've been working the past four years to lose weight (and have lost 100lbs), I rarely eat it, but I do fix it for others.

So, when I found the recipe I'm sharing with you today and tried it . . . well, I knew I had to share it with you because it is the best chocolate cake I've ever had! (I found the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book) What could be a better way to celebrate World Chocolate Day, than with the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake???!!! :-) Or, if you have a special event coming up where a chocolate cake would be the perfect addition . . . or, if you would just like to brighten your family's - and your own - day, bake up this best-ever chocolate cake! But first, some chocolate fun facts . . . did you know -

• The cacao bean, from which dark chocolate and milk chocolate are made, are grown on the cacao tree. This tree is part of the evergreen family! I would never have guessed this.
• The cacao's closest plant relatives are okra and cotton - I have to admit, I would never have guessed this fun fact either!
• The melting point of chocolate is 92 degrees Fahrenheit. This is unique because there is no other edible substance which melts as close to human body temperature.
• Believe it or not, there are many health benefits associated with chocolate. Dark chocolate is known to contain high levels of antioxidants which fight inflammation and protect our cells from damage.
• Dark chocolate also reduces the prevalence of heart disease by almost a third!

You will find more chocolate fun facts at this link.

Now for the cake . . .

Ingredients -

• cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Directions -

• Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
• Lightly grease bottoms of three 8-inch round baking pans or two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and sides of pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt - set aside
• In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. 
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla.
• Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition
• Beat on medium to high speed for 20 second more
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Cool thoroughly and frost as desired

I frost this cake with a simple glaze made from one cup of powdered sugar and milk - I add a tablespoon of the milk at a time until it is the consistency I want - I also add some chocolate syrup to the glaze.

This cake is completely enjoyable . . . it will be my go-to recipe for chocolate cake! So, what do you think? Oh, I see . . . you are headed to your kitchen to bake the Best-Ever Chocolate Cake so you can celebrate World Chocolate Day, too! Enjoy! :^)

And, you will find more fun facts about World Chocolate Day and chocolate at this link.