Like an echo from the past, a dinner guest tasting a dessert I made from scratch, exclaimed “That’s my mother’s cake!”
Indeed, the two-layer yellow cake with chocolate icing that I served was likely made from the same recipe his mom used. It was printed on the pages of a popular woman’s magazine where my mother Margaret spotted it.
Years later, she shared the recipe with me. I prefer this versatile, easy-to-make cake to cakes made from mixes.
You can divide the batter between two eight- inch rounds for a layer cake or pour it into a rectangular pan for a sheet cake.
The recipe can substitute for “shortcake” when topped with strawberries, raspberries, black berries or peaches and a dollop of whipped cream. Or, one can use the first half of the batter to make a pineapple, apple or berry upside-down cake and the remaining half for cupcakes.
For the original version of the cake, my favorite icing is a simple one made with cocoa and confectioner’s sugar. My mother used a recipe printed on the back of Domino confectioner’s sugar boxes.
Today’s busy cooks will love this homemade cake that’s quick to make.
My Mother’s Cake – Original Version
Two-layer yellow cake with chocolate icing
Recipe
1 stick shortening – (Original recipe called for Crisco. Can substitute butter or Land O’Lakes margarine which is trans-fat free)
1-1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
1 cup of milk
½ tsp. vanilla or to taste
Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with rounds of parchment paper and preheat oven to 365 degrees.
Mix shortening and sugar together on low speed. Add eggs and cream until smooth. Combine and/or sift dry ingredients together. Add slowly to the creamed mixture along with ½ cup of the milk. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add vanilla and remaining ½ cup of milk. Beat until smooth. Pour into pans. Bake at 365 degrees approximately 30 minutes. When done, cool 5 minutes and remove from pans onto a cooling rack. When cool, ice both layers.
Chocolate Icing
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine on burner in heavy pan
Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa and whisk until melted together, smooth and shiny
Add half a box of confectioner’s sugar and two tbsp. of milk
Mix at high speed until smooth adding more milk if necessary
Place first layer of cake on serving plate and spread with icing. Then add the top layer and ice top and sides.
My Mother’s Cake – Version 2
Apple Upside-Down Cake
In autumn, when local produce stands and farmer’s markets are carrying apples, I buy lots. A tart apple works best for this upside-down cake and I personally prefer Winesaps or Granny Smiths. Pumphrey’s Farm stand in Millersville, Maryland carries Winesaps all the way through Thanksgiving. If unable to find tart apples, sprinkle lemon juice over slices of sweeter varieties.
I like to add fresh cranberries, blackberries, raisins, and pecans or walnuts between the slices of apples. Feel free to experiment.
Apple Upside-Down Cake version of recipe using Winesaps
I make a full recipe of My Mother’s Cake (recipe above) using half the batter for this cake. I reserve the other half for a second dessert.
First:
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter or margarine in an 8 or 9-inch round pan
When melted, crumble brown sugar over the melted butter to cover bottom of pan
Wash and cut 2 apples into slices (peels on) and arrange over the brown sugar in circular pattern.
In the openings between slices, layer cranberries, blackberries, raisins and/or Craisins and pecans or walnuts.
Pour one half of My Mother’s Cake batter over the apple slices, berries and nuts
Bake at 365 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Run knife around edge of pan
Invert pan over plate. Cake should come out easily with apples intact