Easy, classic chocolate cake

In spite of all the fancy chocolate cake recipes out there, this is the cake that most people are wishing for when they think, "I would really like a piece of chocolate cake right now." It's dead simple, and brings back childhood memories of licking batter-laden spoons and sipping tall glasses of milk to wash down every last crumb of cake. This cake is a natural partner for ice cream, too. Even for people who think they can't bake, this is within the realm of possibility, and you'll be so pleased with yourself. And you'll have chocolate cake.

All-in-the-Pan Chewy Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Icing

From Regan Daley's In the Sweet Kitchen, a favorite cookbook of mine with an awesome reference section. If you've been looking to get into baking but feel like you have too many questions to be comfortable in the kitchen, buy this book. I use the reference section almost as often as I use the recipes.

Makes an 8 x 8" (time given), 9 x 9" (subtract 5-7 minutes from the baking time), or about 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes (15-18 minutes baking time). The recipe can be doubled for a 9 x 13" pan, in which case the baking time is the same, but double the icing recipe as well.

Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. vegetable oil, like canola

1 Tbs. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup cool water

Icing

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 Tbs. milk or water

1 1/2 Tbs. natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

**This recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting the butter in the icing with Earth Balance and using the water as liquid for the frosting. I consider this cake to be a pinnacle of vegan baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour into an ungreased, unfloured pan (if you'll be making cupcakes, you'll need to do all the mixing steps in bowls and then pour into baking moulds at the end). In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the flour and stir well with a fork or a small whisk to blend the ingredients. Withe the back of a spoon, make three indentations or wells in the dry mixture: one large, medium and small. Into the large well pour the vegetable oil. Into the medium well, the vinegar. Vanilla goes in the smallest well. Pour the water over everything, and with a fork, stir the mixture until the ingredients are well blended, making sure you reach into the corners and sides to catch any dry pockets. Do not beat this batter, but mix just until most of the lumps are smoothed out, and there are not little patches of overly thick or runny batter. A few lumps won't hurt the batter, and it's important not to overbeat it.

Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean and the top feels springy when lightly touched. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool the cake completely before icing. This is a very moist cake and will tear if cut too soon. While you're waiting for the cake to cool, whip up the icing.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until the butter is well distributed. The mixture will be very dry and still powdery. Stir in 1 tablespoon of milk or water, then sift the cocoa powder over the mixture and cream to blend. Mix in the vanilla, then add the second cup of powdered sugar. Add as much of the remaining liquid as necessary to make a thick, creamy icing. Frost in the pan and dig in!

Leftovers can be stored in the pan at room temperature, covered with a piece of aluminum foil. The un-iced cake freezes well, wrapped in the pan.