Andrea’s Favorite Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Cake Dry Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all purpose flour. 
• 1 cup white sugar. 
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder. 
• 1 tsp baking soda. 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder. 
• 1/2 tsp salt. 

Cake Wet Ingredients: 

• 1 egg. 
• 1/2 Tbsp. cider vinegar (any vinegar will do, except possibly balsamic). 
• 1/2 cup milk. 
• 1/2 cup hot water. 
• 4 Tbsp. butter. 
• 2 tsp EVOO. 

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients: 

• 8 oz. cream cheese. 
• 1/2 cup butter. 
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder. 
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Directions for the Cake: 

1. Cut the butter into 4 Tbsp., then cut each Tbsp. into 4 equal pieces. 
2. Add these to the flour and incorporate them into the flour by squeezing it together with your hands. 
3. Then add all of the remaining dry ingredients and stir. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and stir. 
5. Then add them to the dry ingredients. Whisk well.
6. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, then dust it thoroughly with flour. 
7. Tap out the excess.  
8. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. 
9. Allow it to cool completely before topping with frosting.

Directions for the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften to room temperature by leaving out on the counter for 2 hours, or microwave it for 2 minutes, stirring midway through.
2. Then add all of the frosting ingredients to a bowl and combine with a hand-mixer, or a fork,  until well blended. 
3. Cover a completely cooled cake with this frosting.
4. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour, then cut it into 10 even pieces, wiping the knife after each slice for neater cuts. 

This cake serves 10 and will store in the fridge for 1 week.