Now that it's not quite so sunny I can move this blog along from engagement announcements back to some homey stuff again.
Like birthday cake! With a secret for easy elegance, which who wouldn't want? {Don't worry, I won't forget about kids' chores and sibling rivalry and all sorts of other things I want to write about!}
But that sun, let me tell you. We are so starved for it. When it comes out, I hardly know what to do! Since Bridget's ankle was healing and she couldn't run around as she usually does, we took Roxie for walks on a hill near us where she can just run, frolic (even over-frolic!), and socialize — off-leash — with friends, always a consideration for the home schooled canine. And yes, it was tank-top weather! What a blessing.
Someone in the comments asked if our family has a favorite birthday cake, and we do! I'm going to share it with you!
Why? Because I want you to swear off box mixes.
There is really no need for them! Yes, there are cakes that are a bit complicated to make, and well worth the effort to master, like this Four-egg Cake of deliciousness. The texture, buttery flavor, and, well, texture of this confection is hardly to be imagined. Even so, it's just not all that hard.
But there are many cakes that are every. single. bit as easy to whip up as a box cake, but so so so so much better that you have to ask yourself just how committed you really are to paying more, eating a bunch of weird chemicals, and ending up with an inferior product. Because if the answer is you are that committed, well, Auntie Leila can't help you!
On the other hand, there is Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Cake. I make it all the time! It replaces a Depression-Era cake that I used to make that doesn't have butter, eggs, or milk in it. You know the one I mean? It's okay, if you have nothing to work with. But it's a little heavy and kind of weird, if you ask me.
I like this recipe, which has all those missing ingredients. I will admit to you that it seems to come out just a little differently each time I make it. I'm not sure why, but before you get all nervous (it's really easy, trust me), you have to remember (and you will readily do so, if you are a follower of my recipes, loosely called) that I am the hastiest cook ever, and often wake up from making something with a start — and not much recollection of what it was that I did this time.
Never mind all that. Just try it. It's moist, chocolate-y, and happy. It's the one that gets asked for the most. Not being one to fear a complicated recipe, I will declare that this one is superior to much more involved chocolate cake recipes I've tried. Classic ones always turn out dry and disappointingly not chocolate-y. Not this one.
Since chocolate cake is always appropriate, and a big one is sometimes not that versatile, after a long search I have found two small bundts, shown here with a mug for scale:
Aren't they cute? They make it so that I can send them to the kids at college, or put one in a meal for two elderly ladies, or what have you.
For birthdays or large gatherings, of course I just go ahead and make a big bundt or 9″ layer cake. By the way, 9″ layer pans are a good investment, because kids of course prefer frosting, usually, and enjoy thinner slices of cake rather than tall ones made from 8″ layers. The cake goes further and isn't wasted on the plates. And there's more scope for decorating the top.
Not that I'm one for lots of decorating, usually. Having four birthdays in December (now five, with Pippo!), I always sort of felt spent having just made the cake at all, never mind getting fancy! But this is where my secret comes in —
The secret of easy elegance!
Have you ever had a petit four? Or a Sacher Torte? Well, the main idea there is apricot jam in the center and a firm chocolate shell.
Sha-ZAM!
A heart -shaped pan comes in so handy for Valentine's Day, Marian feasts (this was for Our Lady of the Rosary), and any time you want to say I love you! |
What could be easier? Just always make sure you have a nice jar of apricot jam in the pantry (without high-fructose corn syrup, of course) and chocolate chips. If you start your kids early on this style of cake, they will always beg for it and scorn the fluffy-frosting kind. I'll tell you what to do in the recipe.
Quick overview of what to keep on hand so that you can Just Say No to box mixes:
Butter (buy it on sale and keep it in your freezer.)
Cocoa powder (I like Ghirardelli but have used Hershey's or Nestle's too. I'm not a fan of store brands, I have to say, in this case.)
Buttermilk (I use it all the time in cakes and pancakes using my homemade mix — but you can also use yogurt in this recipe, so don't let a buttermilk shortage stop you, and of course there's always milk and lemon juice or vinegar.)
Chocolate Chips (they melt really well and who wouldn't prefer a thick chocolate glaze to frosting? Well, maybe not a seven-year-old boy, but mine were on board.)
Apricot Jam
Cream (why not? cream is so good in your tea…)
Put those things on your list and you will be good to go!
Here's the recipe. I've adapted it from my trusty Good Housekeeping Cook Book (I like the edition I've linked to here.)
Easy Chocolate-Buttermilk Cake Like Mother, Like Daughter
Oven: 350°
A large bundt pan or two 9″ layer pans; or 2 smaller ones plus another 7-8″ pan, all greased, floured, and waxed papered (butter the wax paper too) in the case of layers.
{This recipe also makes about 3 dozen cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely puffed.}
2 cups sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups of sugar, but since I prefer my cake sweeter and my icing less so, I adjusted. If you are going to pile heaps of fluffy frosting on this, then go back to the lesser amount of sugar probably.)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted (the original recipe calls for oil, and I have used olive oil and coconut oil. You have to melt the latter for mixing without tiny lumps, although they don't seem to adversely affect the texture even so. I don't think vegetable oils – other than those two — are good for you and no longer use them.)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweeted cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (you can use yogurt, which you then have to use your common sense to see if it needs a little milk added for liquidity, or milk plus 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice, adding up to 1 1/2 cups.)
Mix the sugar and melted butter together in your mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs — you can alternate adding them if you like, but just dumping everything in works also. Don't over mix but just blend them all together until smooth and then stop.
If you use oil instead of butter, you can truly just dump everything in and mix, which is just what you do with a box mix, right?
Pour the batter into your pans, spreading evenly. Bake for 30 minutes for layers and 40 minutes for a large bundt, or until the toothpick comes out clean. For the smaller bundts, 30 minutes.
Let bundts cool completely before inverting. Layers cool for 10 minutes.
Sacher Torte Treatment for Easy Elegance
Take your layer and carefully slice it in half (see photo above). Warm up about a cup of apricot jam and spread it on one half. Replace the other.
Ganache Shell Icing
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (chips are the easiest)
1/4 cup heavy cream (milk is fine)
1 Tbsp. butter
Melt all together, mix well. When slightly cool, pour and smooth over the top of your cake.
You will note that I sort of didn't have enough glaze for the sides, and in this case I only had milk chocolate when I was making the ganache. But you know what? It was delicious. |
Erin says
Well this is the perfect recipe for today– because did you know that it's National Chocolate Cupcake Day? So I think we might just be forced to make some cupcakes, and this recipe sounds just about right. Although I must confess to an addiction to the store-bought chocolate fudge frosting (I know!), so we might be forced to use that. 🙂
justamouse says
Cake is the blessing of a well stocked pantry.
Kimberlee says
Oh, yay for Auntie Leila. You say all the things my family hears me say, but I'm not quite brave enough to say in public (you know, like too chicken to offend the box mix lovers). (grin) I never understood the appeal of mixes because the 'hardest' part of baking is getting out the stuff and greasing the pan and washing the bowl and the pan and all, and a mix doesn't help you with that. And the results can't really be compared, now can they. Thank you for another great post and I can't wait to try your recipe, as I love to bake with (homemade) buttermilk.
Margo says
Good to know. I've had real cake flops (thank goodness I like and make pies more often). I love the easy elegance thing. And my family actually really loves wacky cake, that depression cake – I'll give you the link to my mom's recipe, to see if it's the one you had – it is greatly chocolately, tender, and moist and super, super fast: http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunday-t…
_Leila says
Yes, that is the recipe, and it is tender and moist and fast. Mine is based on a similar model for the rising — the acid plus the soda — but is just more dimensional, what with the other ingredients. If you love the \”wacky\” cake you will love mine too 🙂
Lori says
I am an equal-opportunity cake lover and baker — mixed and scratch have their places in my life. Doctored-up cake mix cakes happen around here, too. Aren't we lucky to have the choice? Love the Sacher Torte idea — it brings back lovely memories of “having a coffee” with our German friends in their homes.
_Leila says
Have you read the ingredients on the box mixes? It's just not worth it. Not faster, not cheaper, not clean-and-neater. And if you have to doctor it up, why not use a simple wholesome recipe to start with?
Pippi says
How timely! It's 9 days until my daughter's fourth birthday and she's a big chocolate lover. There wouldn't be a problem using this recipe for cupcakes, would there? For her birthday party she wants to decorate her birthday cupcakes with her friends and not being much of a cake decorater myself I'm happy to delegate the task to the kids.
_Leila says
Nope, should be fine!
Pippajo says
Oh this is just perfect. I predict this will become a staple in our house. I bet it would be good with a raspberry jam filling, too! Or, perhaps, peanut butter…or nutella…
I don't know if I told you but last Spring I stole a cake idea from your birthday tea party post (the lemon curd, whipped cream one) and have made it so successfully and so often that it has become my most requested dessert. And when the kids ask for Birthday Cake, that's what they are referring to. This recipe reminds me, in a way, of that one. I love the idea of slicing cake layers in half and slapping something toothsome in there to glam it up! Ingenius! Can't wait to try this!
Betsy M says
My daughter's birthday is coming up. For the family party at our house I need to make a milk-free, soy free, gluten free, chocolate free, legume free cake and for the cupcakes for school my daughter requested something FULL of chocolate and creamy and yummy (she is not the allergy one). Now how am I going to make your cake into cupcakes (allbeit gluten free still) without driving myself crazy trying not to eat one? Yup, I may skip your good recipe and make cupcakes that are dry so that I can resist temptation. I guess I could offer this up for the souls in purgitory- I probably shouldn't complain about it if I am doing that though, hmm.
The heart pan and the jelly layers are such a good ideas. What cake would not taste even better in a heart shape. You are so clever!
annafirtree says
Ooooo, in time for my husband's birthday next week. Excellent. 🙂
Do you think peanut oil is unhealthy too? (And if so, why?)
_Leila says
Annafirtree, here is some info about peanut oil (and others): http://wewantorganicfood.com/2007/09/15/what-fats…
Apparently too much Omega 6 is problematical: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/06/the-w…
And I just am not crazy about the flavor of peanut oil, usually. But coconut oil works very well in this recipe, and I've even substituted coconut milk for the buttermilk! That makes this dairy free!
Leila says
5 years later, i will say that I do use peanut oil occasionally. Seems like a little isn’t going to hurt anyone, and for Asian food it’s nice, when Habou can’t have coconut oil.
Deanna says
Wow – looks delicious! I know I am a couple of months early, but I am wondering what are some of your favorite Christmas dessert recipes, specifically cookies? 🙂
Sue says
I need great from-scratch cake recipes. I have such a hard time with cakes, and have asked everyone and her mother what I'm doing wrong, but no one seems to be able to tell me. I have come to the conclusion that it's my tiny Japanese oven that's the problem. My cakes tend to turn out looking great at first, but as they cool they “deflate” and become thin and heavy. I finally found a spice cake recipe that works quite well – but, had not discovered why it works better. Well, I just had a light bulb moment. The spice cake recipe calls for buttermilk (which I substitute with sour milk, since I can't buy it here). Which means this recipe may be a winner for me, too! I'm definitely giving this recipe a try before our family birthday season in Dec./Jan.
Thanks, again, Auntie Leila!
_Leila says
Sue, have you tried lengthening your cooking time just a little? Also, if your oven is small, you might try smaller-sized pans (may you have luck finding 1/2 bundt sizes — I found mine at yard sales after years of trying to buy them in stores).
And do you have yogurt? You can sub that for buttermilk, thinning it out with milk. Kefir is a thin yogurt that you can make using a starter if you are into that kind of thing.
I hope that the buttermilk aspect is the key for you! Everyone needs at least some cake in their lives!
Kara says
Oh, cake! I make all of my own cakes, and there is something to be said for the proper egg-butter-sugar effect. Box mix is horrid, and my husband, who will famously eat just about anything, refuses to touch box cakes. That is beside the point though, as I wanted to point out that Sachertorte traditionally is sprinkled with brandy or apricot schnapps before being spread with jam. I respectfully make this point because it improves the flavor immensely, not because I want to correct your recipe.
Rebekka says
I have almost this exact recipe, we call it cocoa fudge cake. It is definitely a favorite, and easy to make. And it makes great cupcakes! (You can even freeze them, if they don't get gobbled up first.)
Sarah says
Well, I have some non-chocolate eaters in my house, so I looked at your 4-egg cake recipe instead. At what temperature should I bake those layers?
thank you for your blog.
thanks!
_Leila says
Sarah, bake at 350. I fixed the recipe.
maryelizabeth says
I love cake and I love this post! And I completely agree. Not only are boxed cakes not as wholesome or tasty but also not worth the calories! If I am going to eat cake I want real- from- scratch cake. I work with someone who prides herself in 'baking' all the birthday cakes for our nursing unit. Everything used is boxed mixes with some add ins from recipes that she finds online. Nope, not for me.__This recipe is something I will definitely try!!! Also, I am curious about the depression era recipe you referred to. I think I know which one you are talking about. The recipe (depression era cake) that I use is called crazy cake and it's a very moist heavy but delicious cake-flour, sugar, baking soda, vinegar, vanilla, water and vegetable oil. I also make Hummingbird, banana, red velvet, and perfect chocolate cakes. Those are a little more involved but worth it! Oh, and chocolate pudding cake, yummy and easy! Thanks for a great post!
priest's wife says
now if someone has the perfect BROWNIE recipe- that is the only thing I use a box for because I really like the crinkly top that box brownies have (probably from chemicals)
help! I would love to make these from scratch
Theresa says
I just saw this. My sister makes the Fannie Farmer brownie recipe from one of the older versions of the cookbook. It has a ton of butter and isn't cheap to make, but it is totally worth it and has the crinkly top. She doubles the recipe and makes it in a 9×13 pan which makes for a thicker, moister brownie. I can't touch the box stuff or even most commercially made brownies after that one. If you still haven't found a recipe you like it might be worth a try.
Nancy says
I use the “wacky” chocolate cake recipe — but for an entirely different reason: one of my children is allergic to EGGS! It's been an adventure finding (or inventing) recipes for muffins, pancakes, and sugar cookies that don't contain eggs, but well worth it for family occasions and birthdays.
I did change the recipe, though — I use less water, and use canola oil instead of the margarine in the original recipe. It turns out much better (and canola oil is a much healthier fat than margarine!).
JaneC says
I just made the cake this afternoon, and it is marvelous! I am so glad that you mentioned all the substitutions, because I needed them. I did a ton of baking last week for other people, so of course when I wanted to bake for myself, I was low on flour, sugar and buttermilk and completely out of vanilla. I ended up substituting 1 cup of white whole-wheat flour, half of the sugar for brown sugar, and half of the buttermilk for yogurt. I iced it with some leftover sugar-cookie-type icing from the weekend that was still in the fridge. And despite all this, it's delicious!
MaryBeth says
This looks delicious. I will be making it for my husband's birthday =)
sibyl says
Oh, I like the look of this, and will try it soon. However, I'm completely ruined by the scratch chocolate cake my mom made for us (and which is the official birthday cake for our large extended family. She got it out of the Hershey's cookbook: it's called Black Magic cake, and it features buttermilk, but since I never have it on hand, I always use soured milk. Also, it is a one-bowl cake which tastes fabulous with olive oil or canola, and which would probably break all awesomeness records with coconut oil. The secret ingredient is strong black coffee, which you do not taste as such but which preserves and emphasizes the chocolatey quality. The color is almost true black. Hopefully people can google it.
Auntie Leila, I'm scared of bundt pans. Do you have to do anything different? All my cake recipes are for a 9X13 pan or two 9 inch round ones.
_Leila says
Sibly, your recipe is probably a lot like mine anyway, and I used to put coffee in my old (wacky) one. Stick with what you like.
As to the bundt, you just have to bake it longer and be a little more vigilant to make sure it's really done in the center. But otherwise, no difference. It has the advantage of being a bit easier, I think — no layers, less frosting…
Brenda says
What gorgeous photos….the countryside is beautiful!! As to cakes, I have a handful of scratch ones that I can turn our rather easily & consistently, but I do want to try your recipe. You are right when you say that there are easy cakes & difficult ones. I have my mother's old Betty Crocker cookbook (Big Red, I guess it was nicknamed) & there is a category just for cakes….they're not categorized with all the other desserts. Some of them are amazing, they look so complicated! Perhaps once I really got down to it, it wouldn't seem so involved (isn't that the way so many things can be?), but I'll confess to a bit of laziness….I tend to stick with my “tried & true” much of the time! Thanks for a great post.
Brenda
_Leila says
Brenda, to produce a cake with great texture and/or a sponge quality (so that you can soak it for trifles and it won't get mushy, for instance), you just have to master beating egg whites and folding them in. But that's not THAT hard — just takes practice! But separating the eggs really does make a difference.
Renee says
So I made this cake for my daughter's 17th birthday. I am not known for my cakes, so everyone was very impressed and suspicious. Thanks for the recipe, it is most certainly a keeper!
Kristi says
Thanks, Auntie Leila!
Our family's favorite birthday cake is carrot cake with cream cheese icing, but I made cupcakes with your cake recipe for my son to share with his classmates today, his 5th birthday. They are delicious — I'm glad I didn't cut the recipe in half as I'd planned — we're glad to have lots of leftovers!
Jamie says
Thank you! I made this and loved it. It will become a regular thing here…as you said..I've tried from scratch chocolate before and been less than impressed. Also the Sacher Torte treatment and ganache really made things so simple!!
Theresa says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I normally make apple cake or strawberry cake for birthdays, but last night my daughter requested a chocolate cake for her birthday party today and there was no way I was going to make it to the store in time to switch plans and still have time to make the rest of the food. I remembered bookmarking this recipe and so I gave it a try and it was a HUGE hit. I especially liked that with the jam and the glaze I was able to assemble it while it was still warm which was a huge advantage when I was only able to pop it in the oven 30 minutes before the party started. I used homemade cherry-peach jam in the middle and topped it with sliced strawberries which made it look really fancy. Everyone agreed it was not only one of the tastiest cakes they'd ever had, but also one of the prettiest. My family and friends now think I'm magic thanks to this recipe.
Mignon Thurow says
Thanks, Auntie Leila! Made this today for my husband’s birthday, and it’s a keeper! I now feel excited to have mastered a homemade cake! I used the extra dark Ghirardelli chocolate chips (60% cocoa) for the ganache, and it was fantastic!
Christina A says
This sounds like such a good chocolate cake! My go-to birthday cake is Texas Sheet Cake from a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, Best Desserts from Community Cookbooks, I think it’s called? It has you mix the cocoa powder and butter with boiling water, and it has sour cream. It mixes up fast, and bakes fast because of the boiling liquid and the shallow jelly-roll pan. My little people love it because it is a huge canvas for my very amateur attempts at decorative frosting; I use my husband’s grandmother’s buttercream frosting recipe and dye portions of the frosting to fulfill such requests as “a blue ball next to a red car and a brown dog” or “Bumblebee Transformer” or “Han Solo”. It’s always a bit of a sad day when a kid gets old enough to just want a certain type of dessert or cake and not want any crazy thing frosted onto the top.