Aunt Hattie's Chocolate Cake

by Lee Hansen

This rich, chocolate cake recipe is a family favorite. My husband got this delicious home made cake from his mother (Millie Rohrbach) decades ago.

Millie made it for everyone's birthday until she passed away at the age of 93; she got the original from her sister-in-law Hattie (my husband's aunt).

This simple formula makes THE BEST chocolate cake in the world.

Our family makes this best Chocolate Cake for every birthday and sometimes we bake one for no special reason at all.

This dark, rich dessert tastes terrific topped with ganache or a batch of the chocolate icing that came with the hand-written recipe. It's also perfectly delicious topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and a sweetened whipped cream filling.

Ingredients

1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C. baking cocoa
2 C. flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 C. milk
1 C. strong coffee, cooled
1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation and Baking

Sift dry ingredients together; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs 1 at a time.

Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, beat gently until combined.

Add coffee and vanilla and stir until well blended.

You might also like snowball cupcakes!

Pour cake batter into 2 greased and floured 8-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F until cake tests done with a toothpick in the center (start testing after about 20 minutes baking time).

Cool and remove layers from pans. Complete cooling on cake racks, then fill and frost with your favorite icing.

Millie's Cocoa Fudge Icing

1/2 butter (1 stick) melted
1 box (2 C.) confectioner's sugar
2 Tbl. Cocoa (+/- to suit your chocolate desire)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp milk

Melt butter in saucepan; remove from heat and stir in sugar and cocoa, then vanilla and milk.

Stir chocolate icing until glossy and thick. Cool slightly and spread on cake layers.

Recipe Variations - Hattie's (and Millie's) Chocolate Cake

1. Substitute buttercream frosting and decorate cake top with chocolate curls or sprinkles.

2. Split layers into two thinner layers each after cake is thoroughly cooled. Spread sweetened whipped cream filling between layers, then frost with buttercream frosting or chocolate icing.

Hattie's Chocolate Cake Printable Recipe

About the Author
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Lee Hansen is a freelance author and graphic designer who publishes Pastiche Family Portal, a web site devoted to family issues and homemaking tips with an every-growing collection of recipes, articles, crafts, holiday freebies, shopping, coupons, and ideas for creative family living.