Friday, August 29, 2008

Easiest Chocolate Cake.


Well of course you need a cake to celebrate the birth of a new baby! I wanted to make this recipe because it sounded & looked good, not to mention it didn't make a whole bunch of cake. There were only four of us and while we could eat a layered cake, we're all not as young as we used to be! This is another reason why I love this cookbook, it's designed for smaller mouths so all the recipes don't make a lot. Yeah, yeah I know you can divide recipes in half, but sometimes I don't want to think and I just want to eat.


Easiest Chocolate Cake

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
sprinkle of salt
1 large egg
3/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Grease and flour the sides of the round metal pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper.

3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix.

4. In another bowl, use a whisk to stir the egg, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth.

5. Still using the whisk, stir spoonfuls of the flour mixture and splashes of milk - switching between the two - into the sugar mix. Stir until smooth.

6. Use a baking spatula to scrape the batter into the pan. Bake about 50 minutes. Cool completely.

7. To unmold the cake, run a dinner knife twice around the edge. Set right-side-up on a baking rack to glaze and ice/glaze using your favorite recipe.

Yield: 1 8" cake

Recipe obtained from: Kitchen for Kids: 100 Amazing Recipes Your Children Can Really Make. (aka - my new favorite cookbook!)

My thoughts: I ran out of flour while making this and ended up using about 1 1/4 c. The cake was a little flatter as a result but didn't alter the taste or anything else at all.


To ice the easiest chocolate cake I went with my Grandma's famous caramel icing. It wasn't a party in our family without her chocolate cake & caramel icing! So here it is, my Grandma's famous caramel icing recipe - enjoy! This is my favorite icing...ever!

Caramel Icing


1/2 c. margarine (or butter)
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 3/4 - 2 c. confectioners sugar

1. Melt the margarine in a saucepan and add brown sugar. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the saucepan from heat and cool. When the mixture has come to room temperature add the confectioners sugar.

*Add more milk if you add too much confectioners sugar.
** Caramel icing isn't really pretty to look at, but I promise you it tastes delicious!!

And of course the real reason for cake & celebration - baby Brynn!! Seriously one of the most adorable babies! Congratulations to K & J and their happy new little family!

2 comments:

That Girl said...

Easy cake is the best kind of cake!

What's Cookin Chicago said...

That cake looks beautiful... but not as beautiful as Brynn! How super sweet of you to make the cake for your friends!