MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (INCLUDES DAIRY-FREE SUBSTITUTIONS)

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (INCLUDES DAIRY-FREE SUBSTITUTIONS) image

Yield 10-12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Cake:
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 (diary free option use So Delicious Plain Coconut Milk)
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water
Optional:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (dairy-free sub with Tofutti Cream Cheese)
1/2 cup butter, softened (dairy-free sub Earth Balance butter)
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

Cake: 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. (optional - stir in chocolate chips) 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 with pan facing down on wire racks, then remove from pans and cool completely. Cream Cheese Frosting: With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar. Spread frosting on the top of the bottom layer of the cake. (sometimes i make a raspberry filling and add that on top of the middle layer of frosting. Add the top layer of the cake and finish frosting and decorating as desired.