For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add Wet Ingredients:
- Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Add Boiling Water:
- Gradually add the boiling water to the batter, mixing continuously. The batter will be thin, but that’s okay.
- Bake:
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool:
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- Beat Butter:
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Add Cocoa and Sugar:
- Gradually add cocoa powder and powdered sugar, alternating with milk. Beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add Vanilla and Salt:
- Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat the frosting until light and fluffy.
- Frost the Cake:
- Once the cakes are completely cool, spread a layer of frosting on top of one cake layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake.
- Decorate:
- Decorate the cake as desired for the birthday celebration.
- Enjoy:
- Slice and enjoy your homemade chocolate birthday cake!
Feel free to get creative with the decorations and make it a special cake for the birthday celebration.