Chocolate Cake recipe

(not sure the original source of this recipe - it's in our organization's cookbook, submitted by one of our co-workers as "My Favorite Chocolate Cake".)

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 c. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1-1/2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1-1/2 c. hot water
1/2 c. milk

Mix all ingredients together. Beat until smooth. Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Couple things....
1) the original recipe called for 3/4 c. cocoa...the first time I made the recipe I was making 1-1/2 recipes and I accidentally doubled the cocoa, and it was really good, so I adjusted to that. So you can vary that according to your taste.

2) On the coffee...we have the 3-in-1 packets of instant coffee that have sugar/creamer mixed in already, so I just threw one of those in and added the liquid separately.

******************************

We did have a fun party - here's a picture of the birthday boy and girl trying to blow out the trick candles that DH bought...I was afraid for my vinyl tablecloth with all the sparks, but it survived with only 1 hole that I put in it with a hot bamboo skewer I was using to light the candles (duh)... after dinner someone pulled out a cassette of traditional dance music, and that was the entertainment for the next couple of hours - not sure how to describe it, but it made me dizzy watching them turn in a circle for that long! I did hop in for a little while but didn't have the rhythm quite right until the end. After all the caffeine in the cake though - it ended up a late night and quite a party. :)

I was so encouraged to see my new helper come out of her shell a bit, too! A couple of the single girls that I'm close to befriended her yesterday and got her out with the other students and around the campus a bit. She even spent the night at the girls' dorm, and went to church with one of the girls this morning. I can't remember if I shared here about her or not...she is not from this area, and she's only 14 and very shy, so she doesn't really know anyone, and she's not used to going out anyway because she was apparently a bit sheltered by her pastor-uncle. Yesterday was maybe the first time she's gone out of the house in a week..! Anyway, thankful for her friendship with these girls, because they know me, and can also be a positive influence in her life.

Have a great weekend! and let me know if you try the cake!