• Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Note 4 contains crucial information regarding shelf positions.
• Prepare 2 x 22cm/9" cake pans by greasing them with butter and lining the base with parchment paper. Refer to Note 3 for details on using springform pans or other sizes.

Batter Preparation:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt, then whisk briefly to combine.
• Incorporate the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps, which should take about 30 seconds.
• Carefully add the boiling water to the batter and whisk until fully integrated. The batter will be very thin (refer to the video for consistency).
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Baking:

• Place the pans in the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. See Note 4 for adjustments if the pans are placed on different oven shelves.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, turn them out onto wire racks, flipping them upside down (Note 5).
• Let the cakes cool completely before applying any frosting. I recommend using my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (increase the recipe by 50% for optimal coverage).