A DEDUCTIBLE DESSERT
Because You Deserve At Least One Reward
Around this time each year, I cue up The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Mo Money, Mo Problems” to ease the pain of one of my least favorite annual rituals: doing my taxes.
Filing returns is one of those joyless, anxiety-triggering parts of adulthood that no one really warns you about as a kid. The first time I submitted my taxes using an at-home software, I had my dad on speaker the entire time—completely convinced I’d make a mistake and somehow end up in IRS trouble. Unfortunately, the process hasn’t gotten much smoother over the years. There’s always the annual scramble to dig up W-4s, 1099s, and receipts for charitable donations. Honestly, it still amazes me that the government expects regular folks to stay on top of this level of paperwork.
Maybe you wrapped everything up weeks ago. Or maybe—like me—you’ve heroically chosen to procrastinate until the very last legally allowed minute, fueled by equal parts denial and caffeine. Honestly, I’ve spent more time this week making a playlist called “Tax Season Sadness” than actually doing anything tax-related. But hey, it’s all part of the process, right?
Either way, you’ve earned a little reward for your efforts. So here it is: one dessert, one victory, one deliciously deductible moment of joy. You’ve put in the work. Now go enjoy something sweet—because being a responsible adult deserves at least one treat.
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup milk, or buttermilk, almond, or coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil, or canola oil, or melted coconut oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Butter Cream (store bought is fine, OR you can go all in! Here is the best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray
For the chocolate cake:
Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.
Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
Frost the cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
Note:
The cake batter will be very thin after adding the boiling water. This is correct and results in the most delicious and moist chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted!