Chocolate Spice Cake

[Chocoholic]

My husband raves about what he calls a "chocolate spice cake with chocolate icing" that he regularly bought at Kohout Bakery in Clifton, New Jersey, during the 1950's. From his description, it was a sheet cake, with a moist, heavy consistency, and had a chocolate glaze type of icing. I have taken up the challenge to try to find this recipe, or something similar, and surprise him with it. Does anyone have a recipe for a chocolate spice cake that sounds like it might be similar to the one my husband still remembers?? I would really appreciate any "clues" as to how I can pin down this receipe. Thanks.

[Grace]

Sounds suspiciously like Texas Sheet Cake to me... here is the recipe - see what you think.....oh, and this recipe calls for pecans - you didn't mention that your husband's cake had pecans, but you could certainly leave them out of this cake. I have made this, and so have many, many others, all with rave reviews! I hope it helps!

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Texas Sheet Cake

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: March 2000 PAGE: 151

INGREDIENTS FOR 20 SERVINGS:
Cake:
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or stick margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Icing:
6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray,
and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.

3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2
cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl;
stir well with a whisk. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a
small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; pour
into flour mixture. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add
buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared
pan; bake at 375 degrees for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in
center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

4. To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa
in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat,
and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread
over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 20 servings (serving size:
1 slice).

Note: You can also make this recipe in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 375
degrees for 22 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 298 (30% from fat); FAT 10g (sat 5.5g, mono 3.2g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN
3.1g; CARB 49.8g; FIBER 0.5g; CHOL 44mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 188mg; CALC 25mg



[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 10-17-2000).]

[Chocoholic]

Hi Grace,

I had thought about the Texas Sheet Cake also, but a friend made one and my husband said it was not the same thing. However, I'm not sure what recipe she used, so I may go ahead and try your recipe and see what he thinks! Thanks for the recipe.

[Beth]

This recipe has been around so much that it gets varied a bit (more spice, no spice, pecans, no nuts), and not everyone gets the same results. It is also baked in 13x9 or larger pans, and that can make a difference. Baking time can make a difference in the texture, the brand of cocoa can make a diference (I used a Dutch blend because it was what I had on hand last

[Gail]

Without question, this first recipe isn't what you're looking for, but if your husband likes the combination of chocolate and spice, it's a very tasty cake.
Truthfully, I don't think the second one is exactly it, either, but as long as I was typing anyway... (if nothing else, I'm getting pretty good at typing long recipes without a gazillion errors!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

CHOCOLATE GINGER SURPRISE

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla


Melt chocolate with 1/4 cup of the milk in a double boiler. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and blend. Combine flour with salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and nutmet. Sift together. Add dry ingredients and remaining milk to egg mixture alternately blending thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and blend. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. Pour half of batter into each. Bake at 375º 25 to 30 minutes. Cool layers in pans for 5 minutes before turning out on racks to cool. Fill and frost with White Fudge or Fluffy Cheese Frosting.

WHITE FUDGE FROSTING

2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup milk
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add granulated sugar and blend and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and still cook until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. When frosting is creamy and of a spreadable consistency, add the vanilla and almond extract. Use for filling and frosting cake.

FLUFFY CHEESE FROSTING

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese
1/4 soft butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Let cream cheese stand at room temperature until soft. Beat cheese until until smooth. Add butter, vanilla, salt, cream and confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Makes enough frosting for 2 9-inch layers.

(From Home Magazine, LA Times)

SWEET CHOCOLATE TEA CAKE

1 package (4 ounces) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup soft butter or margarine
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

Heat chocolate over hot water until partially melted. Remove from heat and stir rapidly until melted. Cool.
Sift flour with sugar, salt, cream of tartar, soda and cinnamon. Stir shortening; add flour mixture, milk and vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer or 300 vigorous strokes by hand. Add eggs, yolk, and chocolate. Beat 1 minute longer of 150 strokes by hand.
Pour into a 9 or 10 inch tube pan that has been greased and floured on sides and tube and lined on bottom with wax paper. Bake in moderate oven (350º) about 1 hour and 5 to 10 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and cake is free from sides of pan. Cool in pan 15 minutes, loosen from tube and sides, and remove from pan. Glaze while still warm, if desired.

SWEET CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1 package (3 ounces) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1cup sifted confectioners' sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter in water over low heat. Combine sugar and salt. Add chocolate mixture gradually, blending well. Add vanilla. Makes 3/4 cup glaze, enough to cover top of a 9-inch layer,a 9- 10-inch tube cake, a cake roll, or loaf cake.

(From: Baker's Chocolate and Coconut Favorites, Circa 1963)



[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 10-17-2000).]