Last week  was Valentine’s Day and I wanted to bake a chocolate cake.  I’m not usually a chocolate lover, but something about Valentine’s Day makes me crave it!!  I didn’t bake one, however, through sheer will-power.  But I woke up this morning and still craving chocolate cake.  Soooo I guess I must bake one.

I have a recipe card in my special file that says:  The best chocolate cake you can bake (from scratch).  And it is in my mother’s handwriting.  My mom baked the best cakes you can imagine and, sadly, I have not followed in her footsteps so I often use a cake mix (shhh–).  This particular recipe, however, I have made many times and it truly lives up to its name.   Give it a try if you are still craving chocolate, even after Valentine’s Day!

BEST DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE YOU CAN MAKE FROM SCRATCH

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk (don’t use commercial sour cream)
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 tsp. baking soda
2 squares baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1//2 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup hot water

Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and beat well.  Add cooled chocolate and vanilla and beat until blended.  Mix sifted cake flour with baking soda and salt.  Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition.  Last, add hot water.  (batter will be thin).   Pour into 2-  9″ round prepared cake pans or 1- 13 x 9″ oblong prepared pan.  Bake at 350 deg. F for 28-32 minutes or until testing done. (toothpick in center of cake comes out clean)

When completely cool,  frost with my blue-ribbon uncooked fudge frosting:

MINNESOTA STATE FAIR PRIZE WINNING FUDGE FROSTING

1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
5 Tbsp butter
few grains salt
1 tsp. vanilla
6-8 Tbsp. heavy cream (or more, if needed)

In mixing bowl of heavy-duty mixer, beat powdered sugar, melted chocolate, melted butter, salt, and vanilla.  Mix slowly until combined.  Add cream 2 Tbsp at a time, until frosting is of spreading consistency.  Beat well.  Fill and frost 2 layers or spread on top of one oblong.  1 cup of chopped pecans can be put on top if you wish.