the bestest chocolate cake

so, i am pretty proud of my scones, my chocolate chip cookies {particularly with walnuts}, my banana bread and pumpkin spice bread and my blackberry pie {when i remember the correct magic recipe}, but i have never really considered myself a cake person.

until last friday.

it was my old housemate's birthday, and since her allergies require cakes to be made of spelt flour, i offered to do the honors.

pause. i should preface this story with the culinary epiphany i had earlier in the week. a friend made me brunch and added a few drops of orange oil to the french toast batter to make the most amazing french toast i have ever had. orange oil = fantastic.

anyway, i decided on an orange chocolate cake and since i was running massively late, and my housemate doesn't like icing anyway, i figured i could serve the cake warm and just put the icing on the side for people to dish out as they go along. enter, chocolate bailey's icing.

lemmie tell you, it was a killer combination. particularly the fact that i served the cake fresh out of the oven. everyone was gushing about the cake and demanding the recipe and i'm going to pass on false modesty and agree with them. i mean, even the guest who completed two culinary degrees from the seattle art institute was sincerely complimentary.

so, i thought i would pass on this lovely genius of a recipe since i just happened to be the one to stumble on it in the first place.

{i doubled the recipe to fill one 9 in springform pan.}

cake

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon orange oil
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup water

preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees C). lightly grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan.
sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. mix together until smooth (careful not to overmix).
pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45-60 minutes. remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

icing

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1/2 cup butter (or earth balance)

4 tablespoon cocoa

4 tablespoons milk (or almond milk)

1-3 tablespoons baileys (or sub milk)

16 ounces of powdered sugar

(though i just started adding it until i had the right consistency)

melt the butter. add the cocoa and milk and baileys. remove and slowly add the powered sugar while beating the mixture.

enjoy!