Chocolate Cake

Preparation time: 20 min
Baking time: 50 - 55 min at 350F
Difficulty level: easy
Servings: 10 to 12

Ingredients:

Eggs – 4 (at room temperature)
Butter (melted and cooled) or Oil – ¾ cup 
Sugar – 2 ¼ cups
Flour – 1 1/3 cup
Baking powder – 2 teaspoons
Unsweetened dark cocoa - ¾ cup
Salt – just a pinch
Water – 1/2 to 3/4 cup (hot water)
Milk - 1/2 cup
Bake at 350 F
Pan size - 8" round/8" bundt/13"x9" rectangular

Procedure:

Grease the pan using a cooking oil spray (such as Pam) or go by the conventional greasing technique using butter or oil and dust with flour. Pre-heat oven to 350F (I generally pre-heat the oven when I'm mid way mixing the batter since it takes about 10 minutes to pre-heat). Sieve flour, cocoa and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs using a stand or hand mixer for about a minute. It should not be very frothy. Pour in the sugar with the mixer on low speed. Once the sugar is blended with the mixture, add butter and beat for about 3 to 4 minutes until the batter is frothy. Add the sieved mixture little by little, about 1/2 cup at a time. Once the mixture blends in, add water and milk in small quantities so it does not splash out of the mixing bowl. Once blended, pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 50 - 55 min. Prick a toothpick into the cake to check if  its done; feel the crumbs by your fingers, it should be moist but not wet. If wet, bake for another 5 min and check again. Remember that the cake continues to bake for a little more after it is removed from the oven so don't over bake until dry. Once done, allow the cake to cool for at least an hour and then flip it over a wire rack to allow cooling on either sides of the cake.