Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mayonnaise (use real mayonnaise, not low-fat or mayonnaise substitute)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch pan.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the mayonnaise, water, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes for round pans or 30-35 minutes for a rectangular pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Prepare the Frosting:
- Beat Butter: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
- Add Powdered Sugar and Cocoa: Gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the butter, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Frost Cake: Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides. If you baked two round cakes, you could layer them with frosting in between.