Making the Cake:

• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.

• Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the sugar.

• Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.

• Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.

• Add boiling water or coffee: Slowly pour in the boiling water or hot coffee and stir gently. The batter will become thin, but this helps create the cake’s moist texture.

• Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

• Cool: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Frosting:

• Beat the butter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

• Add powdered sugar and cocoa: Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing on low speed to prevent a mess. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth.

• Add milk and vanilla: Add vanilla extract, salt, and milk a little at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add more milk; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.

• Beat until fluffy: Beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes to make it light and fluffy.

Assembling the Cake:

• Frost the cake: Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread a generous amount of frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the entire cake.

• Decorate (optional): Garnish with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or fresh berries if desired.

Serving:

• Slice the cake into generous pieces and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of cold milk.