Dark Chocolate Cake

For as long as I can remember my mom decorated cakes. She used box cake mixes to make her cakes. She said that homemade cakes were to dense and heavy to work well. I didn't even try making cake from scratch til I was in my mid twenties. The first attempt was a complete failure. Years later was the next time I even tried it again. This recipe is so moist and fluffy!
This is the cake I made for Derek his first birthday we were together. He loves chocolate cake. The batter is runnier than most cake batters. Trust me it was work out.

Ingredients:

2 c sugar

1 3/4 c Flour

3/4 c Dark Chocolate unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 c milk

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 c hot water

Mix ingredients in a large bowl. I use my kitchen aid to whisk up the batter.
Grease 9" x 13" baking pan or 2 9" cake pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Add favorite icing.

Here is a good decorating icing:

2 lb bag of powder sugar

1/2 c milk

1 1/3 c Crisco or shortening

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 c Dark chocolate cocoa powder

Mix is bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer. This batch of icing is good for a 3 layered cake.