Simple Chocolate Layer Cake

My recipe for Simple Chocolate Layer Cake is something I modified from the Hershey's basic chocolate cake recipe. A reliable and fairly easy recipe, it is a great one to start with if you've never made a cake from scratch. If you grew up on box mix cakes and like that "in the middle" texture and flavor (chocolatey but not too rich, moist but not too dense) than this is the cake for you.

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup hot fresh coffee

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans, or three 6-inch round pans.

Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly and then add in the milk, oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. With an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for two minutes. Stir in the coffee (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, or until the surface springs back when pressed lighly with a fingertip. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with chocolate or vanilla buttercream.