Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1) 1 cup margarine, softened
2) 2 cups sugar
3) 3 eggs
4) 1 teaspoon each vanilla and salt
5) 2 teaspoons baking soda
6) 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
7) 2 1/2 cups flour
8) 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Preparation

1. In a big bowl put the softened margarine (you can soften it in the microwave if you like) and the sugar into a large mixing bowl.

2. Using electric beaters, beat them together until they are light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs. Beat the eggs in, all at once. Continue beating the mixture until it is satiny smooth and emulsified.

4. Add the salt, vanilla, baking soda and cocoa. Beat again, until the cocoa is well mixed into the batter, making it chocolaty and fragrant.

5. Then put the flour and the buttermilk or sour milk into the bowl.

6. If you only have fresh milk, you can sour it with a little vinegar. Probably a tablespoon would be enough. Do it like this, put a tablespoon of vinegar into a two cup measure. Add enough milk to reach the two cup line. Allow the milk to set for a few moments, until you see it curdle.

7. Now the milk is ready to use.

8. Beat the flour and milk into the batter for about two full minutes, getting out all of the lumps.

9. Turn the batter into a well oiled 9" by 13" rectangular pan, or two 9" round pans, or three 8" round pans.

10. Bake the cake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes in the large pan, and 35 to 40 minutes in the smaller pans. When the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, and the center springs back when you touch it gently, it is done.

11. Remove from the oven and allow cooling for a long time. When the cake is all the way cool, you can frost using any of our frosting types- vanilla or chocolate