After my last chocolate cake disaster, I decided to get right back on the horse. Plus, I was visiting my mother and wanted to make her something sweet. And very chocolate-y.
Because I was in Akron, with no bodega nearby for last minute supplies, I ended up combining two recipes (found in the cookbook below): Mom's Chocolate Cake and Devil's Food Cake, taking the best of each (based, of course, on what was in the pantry). Both were easy -- and very, very good. As an added bonus, there wasn't a "cake slide," i.e., the cake stayed put on the plate.
Even though the cake batter at first will seem too crumbly, it will smooth out after the liquid is added. (When adding liquid and dry ingredients alternately, always start and finish with the dry ingredients.)
This is a very thick cake batter, and once you spoon it into the pan, you'll need to spread it using a knife or offset spatula until the batter covers the bottom of the pan. Don't worry if it's not perfect -- the heat of the oven will smooth it out.
The frosting is so old-fashioned as to have a raw egg yolk as an ingredient. Be not afraid. Use the yolk, as it adds a certain richness that can't be achieved any other way. I only use organic eggs, from chickens that are named on the carton (only kidding about that last one, but do buy local eggs laid by non-caged birds, for both safety and taste reasons). I made the frosting as directed, and left the cake unrefrigerated for a few days; no one felt any ill effects, other than pants fitting a bit too snugly.
The best thing about baking a cake is sharing it with friends and family. Below, from left, Aunt Toots, Cousin Debbie, Mother Bee and Debbie's Friend Jay.
Mom's Devils Food Cake
1/2 c. butter
2 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Sift together cocoa, flour, salt and baking soda; add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Add vanilla extract.
Pour into 2 greased and floured eight or nine inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool and remove from pans.
Chocolate Icing
1 box powdered sugar
2 sq. bitter (unsweetened) chocolate
1/3 stick butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
cold coffee
Melt chocolate and butter together. Add to all other ingredients. Add coffee until desired thickness.
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