Old Fashioned Butter Cake with “Perfectly Chocolate” Frosting

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch x 2-inch round baking pans, and set them aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs to the mixture and beat for another 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and well combined.
Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the “Perfectly Chocolate” Frosting:
Melt the Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add Cocoa: Stir in the Hershey’s cocoa until well combined.
Mix Sugar and Milk: Alternately add the powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed until the frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Add a few extra drops of milk if needed.
Finish the Frosting: Stir in the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. The frosting should make about 2 cups, enough to generously frost the cake.
Assembling the Cake:
Frost the Cake: Once the cakes have cooled completely, spread a layer of frosting on top of the first cake. Place the second cake on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
Serve: Slice and serve this classic, moist butter cake with its decadent chocolate frosting.
Serving and Storage Tips