Scale

1-1/2 cups white sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup mayonnaise or 1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup salted butter

1 cup cocoa powder

4-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Preheat oven to 350° F.
Prepare a baking pan or pans with spray oil and flour with cocoa powder; see notes.
Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Mix in eggs, milk, mayo/oil, and vanilla into the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add boiling water and stir to mix well; the outcome will be a thin batter.
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the cake to a cooling rack.
Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Melt the butter.
Mix the butter, cocoa, and espresso together in a large mixing bowl.
Add powdered sugar and milk alternately into the cocoa and butter mixture while mixing.
Beat frosting until it is a consistency that is easy to spread.
Stir in the vanilla.
Add a small amount of milk if frosting needs thinning.

This cake can be baked into 3-8" pans, 2-9" pans, 1-9"x13" pan or a bundt pan.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup extra sugar to the cake batter for more sweetness.
Cake can be baked before it's needed; wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, place it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks, defrost, ice with frosting, and serve.