Baking An Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

I am sure that if you have been following my blogs regularly, you will know that I am always open to new ideas and influences and I share these with you. However, every so often, I long for something from my childhood years and I recently got an urge to bake a typical old-fashioned chocolate cake. To do this, I went back to one of the very first recipes I ever baked and this is what I share with you in today's blog.

The recipe comes from my very first recipe book, that I received from my mom when she realized she would not be able to keep me out of the kitchen, namely the ever popular Kook en Geniet.

I have baked plenty of chocolate cakes since then, but this remains a fool-proof recipe that seems to be a favourite with anyone who likes chocolate. The cake I bake is the the Chocolate Cake with Oil. I think it needs a better name, but the taste needs no improvement.

Start by adding 4 tablespoons (50 ml) cocoa powder to a small bowl.

In another, larger bowl, sift together 1 cup (250 ml) cake flour, 3/4 cup (185 ml) castor sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon (7,5 ml) baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon (2,5 ml) salt.

Dissolve the cocoa powder in 1/2 cup (125 ml) boiling water and allow to cool down.

Separate four eggs. The whites go into a large mixing bowl to be whipped and the yolks are added to the wet ingredients.

Measure 1/4 cup (62 ml) cooking oil, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla essence and 1/2 teaspoon (2,5 ml) red food colouring in a measuring jug.

Add the egg yolks.

Add 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar to the egg whites.

Beat until the egg whites leave stiff points on the ends of the beater.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones.

Add the cocoa solution as well.

Mix everything together.

Add the egg whites.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the mixture.

Prepare 2 baking tins with non-stick spray.

Pour the mixture equally into the two pans. Drop the pans flat on the table to allow the big air bubble to burst.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C. Remove when done and allow to sit in the tins for a few minutes.

Turn out on a wire rack and allow to cool.

I decided to decorate the cake in a completely old-fashioned way as well and spread caramel on the bottom cake.

I then placed the second cake on top of the first and covered this one with caramel as well.

I used my leftover icing from the carrot cake I baked a few days before to cover the sides of the cake.

I then spread this icing over the cake as well.

Some chocolate sprinkles was liberally sprinkled on top of the icing.

A single cherry finished my nostalgic journey down memory lane. Did the family like it? Yes! The little ones even licked their plates, to their mother's horror and their aunties delight!

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.

Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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