Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The movie made me do it! *chocolate cake*




Wednesday at 9am seems a perfect time to spend some quality time with one of my most beloved 'things' ... 'Big Red'.

I took the housewife day off yesterday and went to spend time with girlfriends. We watched a movie - midday - I felt like a rebel. We lay on the very comfy couches, barefeet snuggled in under overstuffed floral pillows. We ordered pizza, we giggled, we took turns holding the new baby one of the friends was sweet enough to have to satisfy the urges of the rest of us.

We all were enthralled with one specific thing in the movie. It wasn't the story, the plot or the stars, it was only mentioned twice but had a lasting effect on all of us in the room - a giant slab of homemade chocolate layer cake.

I got Connor to school, rushed home and threw a load in the washer, started the dishwasher. Multitasking! I ran through a shower and thought, wow, if I have so many things going simultaneously I'm obviously way ahead and, um, deserve a little somethin' somethin' with my coffee later. I gaze over to the coffee maker and lookie lookie who is looking back at me; G'mornin' Big Red, let's play:

In the raggedy old strainer I have that fits perfectly inside Big Red's bowl I dump in:

2 cups a/p flour
1 cup sugar
2tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup good cocoa


I shake sift it into the bowl (hey, does this count as a workout?) I dump in:

1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise (use real mayonnaise (salad dressing is NOT mayonnaise) oh and also use full fat - you're not allowed to make this if you don't!)
1 cup cold water
1 tsp vanilla (use the real stuff, if you use 'vanilla flavoring' don't speak to me!)


Beat like heck until it's batter - doesn't take long in Big Red. Prepare two pans (butter and flour), I use 9' pans because I like a balanced cake/icing ratio, if your cake is way too thick, the required amount of icing would make it all slide off :)


Put in 350F oven for 25 minutes, then we'll check for doneness, it may need a few mins more but not much

DING! - perfect, out to cool on racks


NO self respecting chocolate cake lives without icing, I don't care who you are, there's no good that comes from a naked cake. Seriously, how can anything that starts like THIS be bad?


Cream 1/2 cup soft butter
sift in 2 1/2 (heaping) icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
add
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3-1/2 milk (depending on how you like it)

beat like heck! it starts looking like nothing but then... yummmm

then... perfection!!! did i mention *yumm* ?

Ok, the cakes are cooling on racks and I'm sitting here waiting - do NOT ice a warm cake, do NOT ice a warm cake - ok ok, I'll wait


...there's really nothing to say is there


I have to be alone now - you have to go make this



4 comments:

  1. Been looking at this recipe for a couple of days, just going to start baking this yummy looking chocolate cake now. My son is an expert taster of chocolate cakes so I will let you know his verdict :-) Tania from Malta (far far away!).

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  2. I thought I'd already posted this but since I can't see it, here it is- we loved this cake, it was so yummy. My son,especially, absolutely loved it, it will become one to bake regularly. Thanks so much, I will try some of your other recipes now.

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  3. I'm so pleased... keep me posted on what else you try!!

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