Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Note 4 contains crucial information regarding shelf positions.

Prepare 2 x 22cm/9" cake pans by greasing them with butter and lining the base with parchment paper. Refer to Note 3 for details on using springform pans or other sizes.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugar and salt, then whisk briefly to combine.

Incorporate the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps, which should take about 30 seconds.

Carefully add the boiling water to the batter and whisk until fully integrated. The batter will be very thin (refer to the video for consistency).

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Place the pans in the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. See Note 4 for adjustments if the pans are placed on different oven shelves.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, turn them out onto wire racks, flipping them upside down (Note 5).

Let the cakes cool completely before applying any frosting. I recommend using my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (increase the recipe by 50% for optimal coverage).