Chocolate Cake


Equipment

Oven
Measuring Cups and spoons
13x9x2-inch baking pan
Paper Towel
Large Mixer Bowl
Fork
Rubber scraper
Electric Mixer
Wooden Pick
Hot Pads
Cooling Rack
Narrow Metal Spatula

Ingredients


1/2 Cup butter or margarine
Shortening
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract(if you like)
3/4 cup milk
Canned chocolate frosting(if you like)
1 Soften butter or margarine by setting it out of the refrigerator
at least 30 minutes before making the chocolate cake so
it will be easy to mix.

2 Grase the baking pan by putting a bit of shortening
on a folded paper towel. Spread the shortening evenly
over the bottom of the pan. Measure 1 tablespoon flour
and put it on the greased pan. Tilt the pan back and forth and tap
the sides of it with your hand to spread the flour
evenly over the bottom. Dump out extra flour.

3 Turn oven to 350 degrees. Measure the 2 cups flour,
sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Put these dry ingredients into a large mixer bowl. Stir together with a rubber scraper.

4 Crack one of the eggs on the side of a small bowl.
Working over the bowl, gently seperate the eggshell halves
and pour the egg into the bowl. Repeat with second egg.
Use a fork to beat eggs lightly till the yolks and whites are mixed well. Measure
3/4 cups milk. Put softened butter, eggs, and milk into the mixer bowl. Measure
the almond extract and add it to the mixer bowl, if you like.

5 Turn an electric mixer to low speed and beat 30 seconds. Turn off beater.
Use rubber scraper to scrape sides of bowl. Put beaters
back into the bowl. Turn mixer to medium speed, and beat 2 minutes more.
Turn mixer off. Measure another 3/4 cup milk. Pour it into the mixer bowl. Turn
Turn mixer to low speed, and beat 30 seconds more or till mixed well. Turn mixer off.

6 Lift beaters out of mixer bowl. Scrape sides of bowl. Put beaters back into
bowl. Turn mixer on to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes more. Turn off
and lift beaters out. Use a measuring cup to scoop mixture into pan. Use the rubber
scraper to scrape out bowl and to spread evenly in pan.

7 Put pan into hot oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or till done. To see if
cake is done, push a wooden pick into cake near center and pull it out.
If pick comes out dry, cake is done. If pick comes out with wet batter sticking to it,
cake is not done. Bake cake for 2 to 3 minutes more and test again. Turn off oven
finished. Use hot pads to remove the cake from the hot oven.

8 Place the cake on a cooling rack. Cool cake completely before frosting.
This will take about 2 hours. Use a narrow metal spatula to frost the cake with
frosting. Makes 12 servings.

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