Monday, February 06, 2006

Time for something sweet



Brown Mountain Cake
Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook Copyright 1959, 1972

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3 tblsp. cocoa
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. warm water

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Soft together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla and warm water. Pour batter into a lightly greased and floured 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) about 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool cake on rack. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook Copyright 1992

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)
5 to 6 tablespoons milk

In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and cocoa; set aside. In small mixture bowl, beat butter until creamy; add ½ cup powdered sugar mixture, corn syrup, if desired, and vanilla, beating until well blended. Add remaining powdered sugar mixture alternately with milk until of spreading consistency.

I had buttermilk that I needed to use up and I thought my coworkers were due for a treat. This simple chocolate cake recipe is what I settled on. I like the light hand with the cocoa in this. This was so moist and stayed moist (in a lidded Pyrex baking dish) even though I work with a small team and it can take us a few days to finish off a cake. This is definitely a recipe I'll use again.

I'm not usually a big fan of chocolate frosting on a chocolate cake but since the cake recipe suggested a chocolate frosting, I went along this one time. I think a vanilla buttercream would have worked very well here too. Or a light mocha frosting. Or a peanut butter frosting.

Another winning recipe from the Farm Journal's Country Cookbook.

Question of the Day: If I told you that you could have any cake that you want right now, what kind of cake would you ask for?

8 comments:

The Cookbook Junkie said...

I've been in the mood for banana cake with cream cheese frosting. Hmmm, I make just have everything I need to make that this weekend.

MommyProf said...

Carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, not from a box.

Wanda said...

A hummingbird cake, I think...

Michele said...

The cake looks great and I have all the ingredients on hand... guess I will have to make it! :) If I could have any cake it would be my mom's Burnt Sugar Pound Cake... it is to die for!

Anonymous said...

I have a wonderful recipe for a lemon cake that you poke holes in and pour a lemon glaze on when you take it out of the oven. It is soooooo good. Now I'm hungry!

Randi said...

Coconut, definatly coconut. I'm going to make the pennisula grill's coconut cake when I find out I passed the bar exam. ( that i havent taken yet, btw, Im taking it in July)

Anonymous said...

Yellow cake with fudge frosting. My Favorite.

Anonymous said...

It is a very close race between my mothers chocolate pound cake or her Peter Paul Mounds cake.And there is always the honorable mention of the Better than sex cake! Lol I made that at my house this last week and my teenagers actually bought the ingredients for me to make a second one. Lol Mmmmmm all are so crazy delicious! OMG I have the baking bug now! I will be baking all weekend :>