1. Prep Your Oven and Pans: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Carefully grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper itself.

2. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk them together thoroughly.

3. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, eggs, orange extract, buttermilk, orange juice, and water. Use a whisk to beat everything together until it’s smooth.

4. Create the Batter: Gently pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or by hand until the batter is just combined and smooth. Do not overmix.

5. Divide and Bake: Pour the batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Cool Completely: Place the cake pans on a wire cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans before attempting to remove them.

7. Frost and Finish: Once fully cool, carefully remove cakes from the pans. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and decorate as desired.