Chocolate Layer Cake

I admit, I was actually making another half-batch of Red Velvet cupcakes when I got out the ingredients for this.  Then I got tired and lazy, doubled the cocoa powder, skipped the red, added enough milk to make up the difference, and poured it in the 6" cake pan.

We eat with our eyes as much as our taste buds.  I think my problem with Red Velvet is not that it's trendy. The visual experience of red makes the chocolate less pronounced.  I did use the other half of the cream cheese icing, but I usually make a chocolate icing for chocolate cake.  Again, tired.  The reason I had time before to have tea every day quit a couple of weeks ago, and I've been working long hours ever since.  Still, I do get tea time three or four days a week, and I thought a cake would be a nice change from cookies.

*2-1/2 C cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 C butter
1-1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/3 C milk
2 tsp baking soda

1.  Sift together flour, salt, and cocoa powder.  Set aside.

2.  Cream together butter and sugar until a sugary paste forms.  Beat in eggs one at a time.

3.  Preheat oven to 350º and grease two 8" cake pans.  Line pans with waxed paper for extra-easy removal.

4.  Beat in milk and flour in stages.  Add vanilla and beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Stir in baking soda.

5.  Split batter between the two cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the toothpick test comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out on to wire racks, remove waxed paper, and let cool completely before decorating or freezing.

Difficulty rating  π