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Chocolate: Shirley Temple Chocolate Cake

Source of Recipe

The Fannie Farmer Baking Book


Recipe Introduction

This fudgelike chocolate cake is almost black with chocolate and was allegedly a favorite of the child actress.

List of Ingredients

2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup boiling water
8 tablespoons (1 stick or 1/2 cup) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
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Chocolate Butter Frosting (recipe follows)



Recipe

Pre-heat the oven to 375 F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Break the chocolate into bits and place them in a small cup or bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir for a moment, then set aside to finish melting.

Cream the butter, then slowly add the sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, and beat well. Add the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and add them to the first mixture along with the milk. Beat until the batter is well blended and perfectly smooth.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the layers cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to finish cooling completely. Fill and frost with Chocolate butter Frosting, and serve with vanilla ice cream, if you wish.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER FROSTING

(2 cups)

3 ounces (3 squares) unsweetened chocolate
6 tablespoons milk
3 cups sifted confectioners' (icing) sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter softened
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a small cup or bowl set in a pan of simmering water. Bring the milk to a boil, then pour it over the sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat vigorously until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well. Let the mixture come to room temperature, then beat in the butter, salt, and vanilla. If the frosting is too runny, beat in more sifted confectioners' sugar to make it spreadable. Spread on the cake at once. You will have enough to fill and frost an 8 or 9 inch two layer cake, or the top of a 13 x 9-inch cake.