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Small-Batch Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 3/4 cup +2 tbs flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs. dark cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tbs. canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. white vinegar

For the Frosting:

  • 4 tbs. softened butter
  • 3 tbs. sour cream
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbs. dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

For the Cake:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper with overhang to help remove the cake after baking. Set aside. 

  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the water, oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk together until smooth and combined. 

  3. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from the pan and frosting. 

For the Frosting:

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sour cream to combine. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat for several minutes, until completely combined and smooth. It should be thick, but still creamy and spreadable. Add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time if it's too thin. Spread on the cooled cake generously, and slice to serve!