Banksy Chocolate Cake.

So, it turns out I was wrong. There is a good chance the work I spotted on Monday is actually a Banksy piece.

Seriously, can you believe it? Ever since I posted my find yesterday, the photo Brendan took has been make rounds across the Internet. Banksy blogs have picked it up, Banksy forums, it’s everywhere! (and not properly attributed, I might I add. I hate that.)

For Brendan and me, seeing a possible Banksy in Utah (and being one of the first to recognize it) is really neat. I mentioned before that our little family was in London last summer, and while we overseas, I got acquainted with his work. At the time, there was a lot of buzz over him (when isn’t there?) because of his next art show would be in his hometown of Bristol.

We made plans to see his exhibit, but my children had other ideas. Traveling with a baby and a toddler (especially if one of them is my daughter) can be difficult. In the end, it didn’t work out. Even today it makes me a little sad we missed out.

But, being in his home country was still fun. Because there is so much art in England, street art and fine art. I saw Van Gogh’s brush strokes on his Sunflowers at the National Gallery. The Rosetta Stone at the British Museum. The boys of Blur at National Portrait Museum. Roy Lichtenstein in the Tate Modern. And of course, Banksy in the streets of London.

That’s what I like about his work, you don’t have to travel to a museum or an art gallery to get a glimpse. You might find a Banksy piece anywhere, walking down the street one day and when you least expect it, in tube stations, bridges, overpasses. Park City, Utah.

So last night, as I was tweaking my chocolate cake recipe to post on the blog, I decided to name it after him. Banksy Chocolate Cake.

As long as you don’t over bake, this cake is perfect, not dry at all. Really, really moist and rich. There are also no eggs, so people with egg allergies, rejoice! The frosting is a dark, dark chocolate — almost black, like graffiti paint.

More importantly though, is that this chocolate cake is extremely easy to make. No fail. Completely accessible for the just about anyone, anywhere.

Kind of like our mystery man, Banksy.

Banksy Chocolate Cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

5 tablespoons baking cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups water

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9′ cake pans. In a bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Next, add the oil, vinegar, water and vanilla. Mix lightly, only until all ingredients are incorporated (over mixing will make the cake tough).

Pour batter into pans, bake for 20-25 minutes. (My oven is very temperamental, so I would set the time for 20 minutes, and check ever two minutes if it needs more time.) Let cake cool completely before frosting.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

2 sticks butter
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (regular cocoa will work fine too)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons of milk

With a mixer, cream butter. Gradually add in powdered sugar while you continue to mix. Next, add the dark chocolate cocoa powder. When all ingredients are incorporated, stir in vanilla. Depending on how thick or creamy you want your frosting to be, add milk as needed. (I usually use all 4 tablespoons). Blend together for one minute on high.