Simple and Rich Chocolate Cake

• servings: 8 cupcakes
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (270g) King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour

2 cups (397g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (64g) Dutch-process cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup (149g) vegetable oil

2 teaspoons King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract

1 1/4 cups (283g) brewed coffee, cooled, or water

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease your choice of pan(s): one 9" x 13" pan, two 8" or 9" round cake pans, or the wells of two muffin tins (24 muffin cups). You can also line the muffin tins with papers, and lightly grease the insides of the papers using non-stick spray.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended. Set aside.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients until evenly blended.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth and well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake the cake until the center feels firm when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean — 42 to 50 minutes for a 9" x 13" pan; 30 to 36 minutes for 9" pans; 35 to 40 minutes for 8" pans, or 22 to 26 minutes for cupcakes.

Remove the cake from the oven. Allow it to cool completely in the pan, then loosen the edges with a knife and gently remove from the pan. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.