Preheat oven to 350° and prepare pans with pan release spray or grease and flour. Three 7” pans or two 8” pans.
Melt chocolate and water in heavy-duty saucepan over very low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Add ½ cup (3 ½ ounces or 99 grams) of sugar and continue cooking and stirring for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
While chocolate cools, Add flour, soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
In bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter. Gradually add the remaining 1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces or 248 grams) of sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg.
Add vegetable oil and mix until combined.
Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low after each addition until smooth.
Blend in vanilla extract and chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, or with a few crumbs.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, wrap with saran wrap and let cake layers finish cooling.

Have ingredients at room temperature before mixing.
Wrap cake layers in saran wrap while they are still warm but can be handled comfortably. Once completely cooled, refrigerate.
Cake layers can be made ahead and frozen for up to two months.
To defrost, remove from freezer and allow to come to room temperature while they are still wrapped.

Here are the pans I use: