A Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Pies and Cakes (1966)

About the Recipe

There’s a bit of a tradition that’s been established amongst my family and chosen family. When someone has a birthday or a party, I ask them what their favorite kind of cake is. Then I find a good matching vintage recipe just for them. When my friend Jenny’s birthday rolled around, they had one request – chocolate!

I love a chocolate fudge cake where the first instruction is basically – make the fudge. The process in this one resulted in a really fluffy, but moist crumb. It dictates both chocolate frosting and chocolate curls (see photo below for how to make them!). Basically, a chocolate lover’s dream.

This is also a very straightforward cake. No notes, except for the usual: let everything come to or close-to room temperature. It truly helps the ingredients come together more effectively.

A quick note on Jenny, one of my favorite humans: In the world of vintage cooking, there are people who appreciate good food no matter what, and there are people who just love a vintage aesthetic and appreciate the history of the dish as well. Lucky for me, Jenny falls into the later category. Not only was this the perfect cake for them, but they just look so perfect blowing out the candles. And yes – that is an authentic Tupperware cake carrier from the 1950’s. I, too, have an aesthetic. Happy birthday, Jen!

About the Book

I just love this cookbook. I keep going back again and again and again. If you see it, grab it. In the meantime, enjoy some tips.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

Mother’s Best Fudge Cake
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 slightly beaten egg
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 cup milk

Chocolate Frosting
6 T butter or margarine
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 egg yolk
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/4 cup light cream

Directions:

Mother’s Best Fudge Cake
In saucepan combine first 4 ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat till chocolate melts and mixture comes just to boiling. Cool. Gradually add 1 cup sugar to shortening, creaming until fluffy. Add vanilla. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture alternately with 1 cup milk, beating just till smooth after each addition. Blend in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Bake in 2 greased and lightly floured 9×1 1/2-inch round pans at 350*F for 25 to 30 minutes or till done. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool; frost and fill with Chocolate Frosting. Decorate with chocolate curls.

Chocolate Frosting
Cream butter; gradually add half the sugar, blending well. Add egg yolk, chocolate, and vanilla. Gradually add remaining sugar; beat well. Add cream to make of spreading consistency. Frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch layers. (Author’s note: I used 1.5x this recipe for my cake so that I had some extra frosting to decorate with)