Quick post: I had some leftover buttermilk I needed to use and it was my table’s turn to bring a hot or cold food item to the moms meeting. This cake is moist, chocolatey and delicious…at least that’s what I remember it being. I didn’t eat any of it because of my new “diet”, but I heard nothing but good things from the ladies this morning. Be sure to use good quality dutch process cocoa – it makes a huge difference.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, that other recipe is posted here. Everyone seemed to like that one, too:o) Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Everyday Chocolate Cake – adapted from Smitten Kitchen

• 1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Dutch cocoa powder (see above for a natural cocoa adjustment)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions –

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a butter-flour spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 to 15 minutes, at which point you can cool it the rest of the way out of the pan. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if you’re feeling fancy.