Chocolate Layer Cake for Baby's First Birthday

We wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for Baby's first birthday, but I had a little trouble finding a recipe which fit my criteria for a baby. All the recipes I found had some ingredient I did not want to use--Guiness Stout, coffee, vegetable shortening, tomato soup, mayonnaise (ugh!), corn syrup. Admittedly chocolate cake is never going to be considered a health food, but Baby does not need those other ingredients introduced into her diet. I didn't even decorate the cake, although I was very tempted to use sprinkles, because I didn't want to use any artificial colors.

Ultimately, I started a Talk Topic on Serious Eats and that is where a fellow reader, AnnieNT, introduced me to this cake recipe, which is from Hershey's website. The cake is easy to make, very chocolately, and has the perfect moistness. Check out the Talk thread to see some other delicious sounding chocolate cakes.

Chocolate Layer Cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 inch round cake pans

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bow. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla;beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

2/3 cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

Here, I thought Baby was about to go in face first, like she sees the dogs doing but she did not. She sure loved the cake! She's never had anything like it and found it very delightful. She was covered in chocolate and so was her high chair by the time she was finished. Luckily, we were having a backyard barbeque and her wading pool was filled nearby. Also, the great Ikea high chair ($25) can be hosed down.