3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (for yellow batter cake, exclude cocoa powder)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using 100% vegetable shortening, grease and then flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat with a spoon or wire whisk just until batter is smooth and ingredients are well-blended.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Variations:
Chocolate Cupcakes
Prepare batter as above. Line 24 regular cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners. Fill cupcakes almost full. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until done. Let cool on wire racks and then frost.
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan. Prepare batter as above; pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. Let cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto serving platter to cool completely.
Courtesy of Caper Lauver
