chocolate cake from scratch- two ways

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. cocoa

2 tbsp. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. cooking oil

2 c. cold water

Mix dry ingredients well and add liquid ingredients and beat by hand. Pour in 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Mix ingredients by hand - DO NOT USE MIXER.

FROSTING:

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. milk

1 c. sugar

Boil 1/2 minute. Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

*NOTES -something doesn't seem right in this first recipe- but I am going to try it- will let you all know if it works.... and this is the reason for the 2nd recipe- that one seems more like it ;)

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from about.com

Thiscake recipe is simple to make. A dark chocolate cake is frosted with a lighter cocoa frosting.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and dust with cocoa two 9" layer cake pans. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with wire whisk until blended. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat well with wire whisk or mixer until combined, about 2 minutes. While beating, heat water in microwave oven to boiling. Stir boiling water into cake batter.

Pour the thin batter into the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan, top springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

FROSTING:

This frosting can be used to frost any cake or cookie.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup cocoa

4-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/3-1/2 cup half and half

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch salt

Preparation:

In large saucepan, melt together butter and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Using mixer, alternately beat in powdered sugar and milk until frosting is smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla and salt. Fills and frosts 2 9" cake layers.

TIPS!

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste
of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm.
This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy deviled eggs, Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up.

Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size.
You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in
A microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food
Moist and help it reheat faster.

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.

Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such

As peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.