MOIST AND TENDER SOUTHERN LITTLE LAYER CAKE WITH TRADITIONAL BOILED CHOCOLATE FROSTING!
Prep time: PT40M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT60M
Rating
4.42 stars (46 reviews)
Keywords
chocolate frosting, country, layer cake, old fashioned, vintage
Ingredients
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
6 eggs (room temperature)
2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk (warmed)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
12 oz evaporated milk
pinch sea salt.
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Categories
cake
Dessert
Cuisine
American
southern
Steps
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line 5 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. (I used 10 disposable pans). Grease the pans and flour lightly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar, butter and shortening.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
Mix in vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a large bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredient, alternating with the milk until batter is combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Pour 1 cup of the batter into each prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 10-12 minute until edges are lightly golden and center of cake is set. Do not overcook. The cake will continue to cook as it cools.
Once pans are warm to the touch, remove cake and place on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Repeat with the next five cakes.
While layers are cooling make the frosting (see note about frosting before continuing)
To make the frosting, in a large saucepan melt butter in deep skillet.
Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and evaporated milk.
Bring to boil until it reaches about 235 F. on a candy thermometer.
Reduce heat to low and add vanilla extract and salt.
Keep the icing hot while you frost the cakes. Frosting should be the texture of thick chocolate syrup.
Place the first layer on a cake board on top of a cooling rack. Place a pan on a baking sheet under the cooling rack to catch the dripping frosting.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of frosting (may need a tad bit more) in between each layer and spread it over it out. Repeat until all layers have been stacked and frosted.
Next, make up another batch of frosting.
When frosting is done pour it over the top of the cake. This will fill in any gaps and give the cake a smooth frosted finish.
Let the cake sit until the icing is firm.
Slice and serve!
Reviews
Cat on 2024-12-27 (5 stars): This was absolutely delicious! Definitely took me longer, but it was so worth it. Thanks for sharing!
JUDITH S RAILEY on 2024-05-31 (5 stars): I love your instructions and your sense of humor. I live in Woodbury, Georgia and this is my daughter's favorite cake, sooooo once a year I pull it together for her. I found that cooking the icing till the sugar melts then letting it boil for 7 minutes while stirring helps to keep the icing from being grainy.
Carole on 2022-12-19 (4 stars): Mine turned out good, although the icing is very rich. Nevertheless, the fam loved it.
I wish I could post a pic, but it doesn’t allow me to.
It really is a beautiful cake. And you are correct-a-mundo when you say “It’s a labor of love.”
It ‘bout wore me out!
Ted on 2021-12-23 (5 stars): Made it and it turned out great. Couple questions from above
1 you can grease the pans from the remaining butter flavored Crisco. But the amount in the recipe is for the batter
2 it will freeze great, sealed tightly for up to 6 months
3 did not crackle for me
4 The chocolate must reach 234. This took longer the expected. Boiled and stirred for a long time. Low and slow to not burn it. Use a candy thermometer
5 cooked the layers on 340. Until the edges turned brown and started to pull from the edge. Longer than 10 min
Lin Boelz on 2021-09-04 (5 stars): Hi I wanted to make a dark chocolate mint layer cake like this. So was wondering should I put the cream de menthe in the cake mix or frosting. I don't want to over-whelm the cake with mint flavor though. What would you suggest?
