1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. to 1 tbsp. Dutch processed cocoa (Povlain)
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. sifted cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom of 2 9 inch round pans. Whisk water and cocoa until smooth. Let cool. In another bowl, beat vanilla into eggs. Whisk in 1/4 of cocoa mix. In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. Add the remaining cocoa-water mixture and the butter and beat at high speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the egg-cocoa mixture in 3 parts, scraping bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Pour into pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cakes should not have begun to pull away from sides of pan. Cool 10 minutes before inverting onto racks and cooling completely.