(photograph © Kiwidutch)
In my February 12th post I featured Baking Powder, and milkayphoto asked what I was baking, so I added a photo to show her and she said she would like to see the recipe… well milkayphoto, you wish has been granted !
First a confession: Until recently I was a diabolical cake baker. I have been known (and I hang my head in shame) to actually bake a cake that came out of the oven flatter than when the level of the mixture that went in.
This time last year, all that changed.
I discovered a recipe that even I couldn’t turn into a disaster…. and overnight, I became a cake baker. I even became someone who enjoyed making cakes.
After years of “heavier then they should be” cakes, cakes so solid that they might have been mistaken for designer bricks, and cakes that baked up more or less ok, but never got successfully out of the pan without breaking into pieces, and my darling Hubby trying to cheer me up with a smile and ” hey, oh well honey, you can’t be good at everything I suppose” or “better than I could have done sweetie” (Like he would EVER would bake a cake LOL)
I finally shocked him by turning out a cake that really looks like someone else made it LOL! yet I was alone in the kitchen… and no, no secret shopping at the bakery was involved (not that Dutch bakeries have round cakes like this anyway).
So what is this brilliant recipe? It’s “Lynn’s Luscious Chocolate Cake” Recipezaar Recipe #315445
If you make this, then I’m certain that Lynne would love a review at the following link:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Lynns-Luscious-Chocolate-Cake-315445
Lynne notes on her recipe:” I have been making this recipe for years. It is the moistest chocolate cake ever. It originally came from Hershey’s but is adapted to my family”, and that time to make the recipe is 55 min, 15 min prep. (SERVES 20)
Ingredients:
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
13 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
7 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup nonfat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
Directions:
Combine all dry ingredients.
Put into large mixing bowl with the rest of ingredients except for water.
Add boiling water and stir. (Don’t worry, your batter will not be thick.
Put into greased 9 x 13, or 2 8inch cake pans that have been greased and floured.
Bake at 350 degreesF. (180 C)
Bake layers for 30-35 minutes.
Bake 9 x 13 for 35 to 40 minutes.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Over the last year I have also experimented with the cake mix, this produces a very moist, soft, fluffy cake, and nervously knowing my history of not being successful in getting cakes out of cake pans in one piece, I don’t opt to grease and flour the pans but rather grease and then line with baking paper. So far I haven’t had a single disaster removing the cakes from the tins, just tip cooled cake carefully into my hand, it just pops out and peel off the paper, Voila! Of course it works with greasing and flour, I’m just not that brave yet.
Some people who reviewed this said they cut down the sugar, I do too, at least half a cup, and again so far everything has survived and tastes great. I also cut the salt to half a teaspoon. The rest I follow to the letter. If you can’t get Canola oil, then use Karo oil instead ( just make certain that the boiling water really is boiling and it will mix well)
My experiments now include making these as cupcakes… the mix is so idiot proof that I haven’t been able to fudge these up either LOL. Usually cupcakes are for the kids so I don’t overfill them, and so I can get 24 cupcakes from one mix. In my oven at least, 25 minutes at 180 C cooks the cupcakes perfectly, but they should spring back if you press them a bit, or if a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Another Plus point.. no creaming of butter and sugar, it’s pretty much a tip-it-into-one-bowl-and mix-recipe, how EXCELLENT is that?! It just adds to the gold stars that this recipe is ticking up at a great rate.
