This is my "go-to" chocolate cake recipe - so easy!  It turns out a smooth, moist, even cake with a great chocolate-y flavour every time.

For the Christmas season and an event at work, I dressed it up with a peppermint glaze and crushed candy canes. 

Cake
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour your baking pan(s) - you can use two nine inch round pans, one bundt pan, or a tall 9" pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pan(s).
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Glaze:
Icing Sugar
Hot Water
Peppermint Extract

Portions are up to you depending on how much of the glaze you want,  but you could start with 1 cup of icing sugar.  Put the icing sugar into a cup, and gradually add a couple drops of hot water, stirring each time, until you reach your desired consistency.  Hint: the thicker it is, the more it will show up as white on your cake.  Once you're happy with the glaze, add a couple drops of peppermint extract to your taste. 

Topping: I took three candy canes and crushed them, then sprinkled them onto the cake *while the glaze was still fresh - so they would stay in place.

Chocolate Cake recipe originally from All Recipes.com
Theresa

I saw this recipe in a magazine, and had to give it a try!  Instead of using a regular cake pan as suggested, I used ‘brownie’ tins which are kind of like muffin tins, but instead of round cups they have rectangles… perfect for those of us that aren’t the best at cutting pieces evenly!  Special thanks to AT for the new brownies tins!  Using the brownie tins means a little extra work (you have to press the crust into individual cutout) but it pays off in the end – each bar tipped out easily and was perfectly formed!
- Theresa

Base:
2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
½ cup butter, melted
Brownie:
2 eggs
1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
4 oz (115 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz (55 g) white chocolate, chopped
½ cup chopped hazelnuts

Base: In bowl, stir chocolate wafer crumbs with butter until moistened; press into 13”x9” parchment paper-lined or greased cake pan.  (Or, you can use brownie tins as I did).  Bake in 350˚F oven until firm, about 10 minutes.  Let cool on rack.

Meanwhile, in bowl, beat eggs with condensed milk; stir in cranberries, bittersweet and white chocolates, and hazelnuts.  Spread over base.

Bake in 350˚F until set in centre, about 20 minutes (or 15 if using brownie tins).  Let cool on rack.  Cut into bars.

Recipe from Canadian Living Holiday Favourites Cookbook Edition 2011

I like to make this cake once or twice during the Christmas season – a nice, dark cake with a lovely hint of ginger and spice.  I brought this into my workplace today and served with The Prairie Woman’s Caramel Sauce - it went quickly!

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 cup hot water
1 and 1/2 tsp soda
 
Measure first 8 ingredients into bowl.  Measure hot water into large cup, add baking soda to hot water while holding it over the bowl as it foams up (however, don’t worry if it doesn’t foam up, just pour in).  Mix well. Pour into your choice of cake pan (9x13, or I usually use a standard bundt pan, greased and floured). Bake at 350˚ for approximately 35 minutes – however, keep an eye on it as baking time varies.  You’ll know that it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, and the edges start pulling away from the edge of the pan.
 
Serve warm with whipped cream, caramel sauce, or a lemon sauce.

I’ve been making this cake for so many years I can’t remember where the recipe came from – if you recognize it, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!  Thanks ☺ 
- Theresa