Old Fashioned Cake Walk Food

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Take everything out of the refrigerator so that all ingredients can come room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put all the cake ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, cocoa, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into a food processor and process until you have a smooth, thick batter. If you want to go the long way around, just mix the flour, sugar and leavening agents in a large bowl and beat in the soft butter until you have a combined and creamy mixture. Now whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs and beat this into your bowl of mixture.
• Divide this batter, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape and spread, into the prepared tins and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, which should be about 35 minutes, but it is wise to start checking at 25 minutes. Also, it might make sense to switch the 2 cakes around in the oven halfway through cooking time. Remove the cakes, in their tins, to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out of their tins. Don't worry about any cracks as they will easily be covered by the frosting later.
• To make this icing, melt the chocolate and butter in a good-sized bowl either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Go slowly either way: you don't want any burning or seizing.
• While the chocolate and butter is cooling a little, sieve the confectioners' sugar into another bowl. Or, easier still, put the icing sugar into the food processor and blitz to remove lumps.
• Add the corn syrup to the cooled chocolate mixture, followed by the sour cream and vanilla and then when all this is combined whisk in the sieved confectioners' sugar. Or just pour this mixture down the funnel of the food processor onto the powdered sugar, with the motor running.
• You may need to add a little boiling water, say a teaspoon or so, or indeed some more confectioners' sugar, depending on whether you need the frosting to be thiner or thicker. It should be liquid enough to coat easily, but thick enough not to drip off.
• Choose your cake stand or plate and cut 4 strips of baking parchment to form a square and sit 1 of the cakes, uppermost (i.e. slightly domed) side down.
• Spoon about 1/3 of the frosting onto the center of the cake-half and spread with a knife or spatula until you cover the top of it evenly. Sit the other cake on top, normal way up, pressing gently to sandwich the 2 together.
• Spoon another 1/3 of the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it in a swirly, textured way (though you can go for a smooth finish if you prefer, and have the patience). Spread the sides of the cake with icing and leave a few minutes until set, then carefully pull away the paper strips.
• I love to dot the top of this with sugar pansies, and you must admit, they do look enchanting, but there really is no need to make a shopping expedition out of it. Anything, or indeed nothing, will do.

GREAT GRANDMA EFFIE'S OLD FASHIONED STACK CAKE

Steps:

• Cream shortening with molasses in very large bowl, then add in one beaten egg.
• Mix all dry ingredients adding milk in as you mix. Add Vanilla. Beat to a stiff dough.
• Flour your counter and lightly flour your rolling pin. Roll out to thickness of pie dough. (VERY THIN) This dough will make 9-10 layers.
• Cut out your circles with a scalloped pie pan. Place rounds of dough on a cookie sheet (I line it with wax paper) 2 at a time. And bake 12 minutes at 350°F.
• After all rounds are baked, put layers together with a homemade or sweet flavored applesauce.
• Let set before serving. Great also warm with vanilla ice cream.
• My time chart is if you also made your own applesauce (peeling coring etc.).

OLD FASHIONED CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until it is creamy; gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and coca; Stir well. Then add to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix after each addition. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla.
• Pour the batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; then remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
• For the frosting, combine 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, and 1 cup evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to wash down the sugar crystals from the sides of the pan.
• Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches soft ball stage or a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees. Remove from heat and add vanilla (do not stir). Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is spreading consistency. Quickly spread the Caramel Frosting between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.
• Garnish with pecan halves and grated chocolate if desired.