LBD Chocolate Cake

LBD Chocolate Cake

An Everyday Cake With Attitude

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 heaping Tbs instant espresso powder

1 cup boiling water

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

⅓ cup oil (I prefer light olive oil, but any oil with a light taste will be fine)

1 Tbs vinegar (balsamic preferably, but any will work)

1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8 × 8 inch baking pan, or a 9-inch round cake pan.
3. Combine cocoa and coffee powder in heat-proof bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water and stir.
4. Cool to room temperature (HINT: speed this process by placing bowl in refrigerator or freezer).
5. Combine flour, brown sugar, soda, and salt together, stirring well to thoroughly combine and remove lumps.
6. When cocoa mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
7. Combine olive oil, vinegar, and vanilla together and add all at once to batter, stirring to combine.
8. Working quickly, pour batter into oiled baking pan and place on middle rack of oven.
9. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.

Cake can be glazed or iced, decorated with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream, or served plain paired with good vanilla ice cream (one of the best choices, if you ask me).