Friday, February 5, 2016

Chocolate Syrup Cake





Mom called last night with an unusual request:  Aunt Sue told her that her assisted living facility is putting together a cookbook to sell as a fundraiser for Alzheimer's research, and they're asking the residents to contribute their favorite recipes.  She particularly wants to submit her recipe for her favorite chocolate cake, and she knows that I have gathered all of her recipes and have been sorting them out.  Mom asked her how I would know which recipe was the right one, and she said, "Well, it's got a whole can of Hershey's syrup in it..."

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/images/default-source/dictionary/chocolate-syrup.jpg?sfvrsn=2

THAT SHOULD STAND OUT!
 
As it turns out, I found two versions of this recipe, one called simply "Chocolate Syrup Cake" and one called Devil's Food Cake.  The cake part is the same, but the icing recipe is different:  One is for a two layer cake and the other is for a 13x9 sheet cake, so I assume that explains the difference in the icing.  Anyhoo, here you go:

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1 16 oz. can Hershey's syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together sugar and butter; add eggs, one at a time, and beat well.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Alternate adding flour mixture and chocolate syrup to the butter and egg mixture; add vanilla last and beat well. 

Grease and flour either a 13" x 9" sheet cake pan (or glass casserole dish) or two 9" round layer pans; add cake batter.  Bake for 30 minutes, then turn off oven and let cake(s) gradually cool for 10 minutes before removing from oven.

Icing for sheet cake

1 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/3 cup milk

Mix together, bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in:

1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat until consistency to spread; spread over cake in pan.

Icing for layer cake

2 squares dark chocolate
2/3 cup milk
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. white Karo syrup
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate in milk until thoroughly dissolved.  Add sugar gradually.  When it begins to boil, add syrup.  Cook, stirring constantly, and test as for fudge by dropping in cold water (soft ball stage).  Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla; beat until right consistency to spread.