Mom’s Chocolate Decadent Cake

Monday was a beautiful fall day and I was sitting in the back yard perusing the pages of an old cook book when mom came to the screen door and said she wanted to sit outside. As she went to get her sweater, I went into the kitchen and I cut a piece of her favorite chocolate cake, poured a glass of milk, grabbed a fork, and carried them out to the table under the pecan tree beside the garden where I had been sitting. I dressed the table with a quilted place mat mom had made and a vase of silk flours. It looked so pretty with the sun filtering light through the leaves of the tree and so I took a photo before I helped her out to the yard. “Oh my,” she exclaimed, as she walked towards the table, “it is absolutely beautiful.” “Yes,” I answered, “the birds are singing and the sky is so blue.” She looked at me quizzically and as she sat down and picked up the fork she replied giggling, “No, silly girl, the cake.” In a flash her fork was in her mouth and in between chewing, I could barely understand her garbled words as she said, “this is the best chocolate cake I ever had.”

This cake carves and stacks well for simple or elegant specialty cakes. Two years ago I made and donated a heart shaped candy box cake for the Concan Cancer Relay for Life Valentine’s dance and auction and I used the recipe for my 'Mom's Favorite Chocolate 3-d Cake.' I torted the top layer of the cake and, after adding cherry flavoring and finely minced maraschino cherries to half of the frosting, I put a thin coat between the cake layers. I stacked the cake and after putting on a layer of chocolate butter cream frosting I covered it with my homemade mm fondant. I made fondant roses and a fondant bow to decorate the cake and packed the inside with homemade chocolate cordials. I couldn't believe the amount of the high bid. Almost made me want to go into business selling cakes. Of course I realize it went for a good cause and that always helps to get high bids.

I have added other flavors to the frosting in the past such as cherry, orange, and almond, etc., depending on the outcome I wanted. I have also paired the cake with Ganache and other Frostings. This is the most requested chocolate cake that I make and is the favorite chocolate cake choice for family potlucks, parties, birthdays and weddings.