Easy-Clean-Up, All-Purpose, Chocolate Cake Recipe

Here's the cupcake recipe from Mrs. Darling. These were served with white frosting and lots of stuff to sprinkle on them. fine party fun.

Makes 2 8-inch square or 3 8-inch round layers or 3 dozen cupcakes *

Butter, for pans (if you're doing cake, dust with pans with cocoapowder)*

1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pans*

3 cups all-purpose flour*

3 cups sugar*

1 tablespoon baking soda*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder*

1 1/2 teaspoons salt*

3 large eggs*

1 1/4 cups warm water*

1 1/2 cups buttermilk*

1 cup vegetable oil*

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. . In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together: cocoa, flour, sugar,baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly stir in the eggs, warm water,buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth (not more than 3-5minutes). Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake about 35-45 minutes (I beginchecking for done-ness about five minutes after I can smell the cake baking.I am relatively compulsive about this part, particularly with cupcakes,since cake(s) will continue baking even after they are pulled out of theoven. Sort of like how you might approach cooking a Thanksgiving turkey) Let (cup)cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove frompans and cool completely, right side up on rack