Everyone in my family makes this cake and we've all been hooked on it for years, ever since my mom acquired the recipe when she was a home economics teacher in the '50's. Over the years, we've coordinated baking times w/ pan sizes etc., so see below. I like to use this recipe for cupcakes and there's a filling recipe at the end if you're interested.

AUNTIE OLIVE'S CHOCOLATE CAKE
A World War II Recipe

3 cups white flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups warm water

Preheat oven to 325.
Sift together the dry ingredients. The more you sift, the fluffier the cake. One sifting makes a nicely dense cake.
Make 3 wells in the flour mixture.
Pour the oil into one, the vinegar into another and vanilla into the third.
Pour the warm water over the top.
Mix the batter. DO NOT OVERMIX! Overmixing will create air bubbles.

Bake in an ungreased pan as follows;
9" X 13" sheetcake pan - 30 minutes
2, 9" diameter layer cake pans - 40 minutes.
2 cupcake pans - 20 - 30 minutes.
6 cupcakes in a toaster oven - 15 minutes.CUPCAKE FILLING
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup confection'er sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

When cupcakes have cooled to room temp., pipe the filling into each cupcake through the top, then ice with chocolate frosting.