I love to bake. But over here, you get those boxed cake mixes, add eggs and pop it in the oven. Might as well buy some hostess devil dogs or ring dings. But recently, a friend gave me a beautiful set of cookbooks from the 1960s and there are ALL kinds of wonderful recipes - including how to bake a cake from scratch with all your own ingredients. I’m heading out to the grocery store now and if the cake comes out nice, I’ll post the recipe…its “chocolate cream cake”, all chocolate except for the inner layer which is white cream. Sounds heavenly!
Re: Making chocolate cake
mama, i'll wait for the recipe. :-)
Re: Making chocolate cake
subsitute white cream with strawberry jam or jelly 
Re: Making chocolate cake
I love baking, always try to bake from scratch!! Looking forward to the chocolate cake recipe, will post a heavenly choc cake recipe from scratch with a fudge icing, that is to die for. Its alot of work but so so so so so so so worth it.
Re: Making chocolate cake
GB, do you have a good tried & tasted recipe of strawberry and cream cake? If you have it please post it in a new thread...thanks !!!! :)
Re: Making chocolate cake
ok, forget it. That cookbook is going for firewood....I used every bowl, measuring spoon, pot and pan in the kitchen and that was only for the cake. Two different types of frosting, using double boiler. Sheesh, it wasnt even that good. Not gross but really not good. :(
if anyone has any really good chocolate cake recipes, please post!!
Re: Making chocolate cake
Nigella Lawson makes amazing cakes in her books. Theres a fab chocolate fudge cake in her Nigella Bites book and shes also got that book called "how to be a domestic goddess" which has sum good stuff in it. I hardly eva make cakes these days cos every1s on permenant diets and if i make it, i end up eating it all. Howeva i do highly recommend Nigella's books for desserts and cakes.
Re: Making chocolate cake
mamaof3:try this one for a chocolate cake:
turn on the oven to preheat at 200 deg centigrades
meanwhile:
1 cup oil + 1.5 cups powdered sugar = beat in a large bowl with electric beater
mix 4 well beaten eggs+ 1tsp vanilla essence+4 tbsp coco powder in 5-6 tbsp milk mixture
add to the sugar mixture and mix well with a spoon (no electric beater this time)
sieve 1.5 cups flour(maida) and 1.5 tsp (levelled) baking podwer twice onto a paper and third time into the above mixture
fold the flour in.. you can add chopped walnuts in choc mixture or replace coco+milk mixture with 1/4 cups orange juice+3 tbsp Tang mixture ..i tried with mixing coco powder and tang in orange juice and it turned out yummy too
pour this mixture in a lined baking dish and bake for 35-45 mins at 180 deg cent. (until a skewer comes out clean when pricked in the centre)
this is a recipe i use sincemany years and it always turns out good
do give it a try and let me know :)
Re: Making chocolate cake
Here is my choc cake recipe, everytime i make it people love it..
choc cake
2 cups sugar ( white)
1 cup oil ( i use veggie oil)
1/2 cup cocoa
combine these ingredients until well blended. then add all the following ingredients
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk ( my recipe book says to make this just add two tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup minus 2 tbsp milk and let sit for ten mins - works like a charm each time)
Then add:
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
Mix together and ensure that it is well blended.
Then add 1 cup BOILING WATER at the end.. this step you have to be careful as possible when you mix because the water could splash up. The batter should become a thin an hot.
Bake in a GREASED 9 X 13 pan at 350 F for 30-35 mins.
I use a homemade fudge hand whipped icing for this recipe, but it is great with store bought icing as well.
If you want the fudge icing recipe. Let me know.
Re: Making chocolate cake
yes..fudge icing recipe plzzzzzzzzzzz..then i will try te whole recipe
Re: Making chocolate cake
Fudge recipe,
1 cup sugar ( white )
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon Golden Syrup
1 cup cream
1/4 cup cocoa
Bring to a boil ,stirring constantly. Once it is boiling, cover the pot with the lid for 20 seconds and then remove the lid. Continue to stir while the mixture bubbles. It is really important not to move away from this mixture during tis process... Continue to stir until mixture reaches soft ball stage.
Remove the mixture transfer to a waiting COLD bowl and refrigerate to cool down the mixture.
Once it is cool, you will notice that the icing is really glossy and shiny. Now comes the fun bit, you have to beat/whip the icing with a wooden spoon by hand until the icing loses its gloss...depending on strength and how fast u work, this can take 20 - 45 mins. Once gloss is gone the icing is ready.
Soft Ball Stage - to test, get a glass of COLD COLD COLD water. Then take a little bit of the mixture and drop into the glass, if a ball forms and floats for a second or so before sinking you are at soft ball stage.
Hope this makes sense.
Re: Making chocolate cake
yes..thanks a lot..i have this book and it explains this soft ball stage too..i got it all