Mom's Chocolate Cake is a classic, old-fashioned chocolate cake made with melted unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa powder, giving it a rich, smooth flavor that stands out from typical recipes. I first made this version years ago after finding it in Food & Wine, where it was shared by Marcia Kiesel and traced back to her friend Joyce Cole's mother. It's truly a hand-me-down recipe, and a good one!
Make Ahead and Freeze the Layers
One of the best things about Mom's Chocolate Cake is how well it works as a make-ahead dessert. The first time I made it, I baked the layers in advance, wrapped them tightly in foil, and froze them. The layers freeze beautifully, and in my experience, freezing Mom's Chocolate Cake actually improves the texture, making it a little more dense and extra moist.
Mom's Chocolate Cake Icing (Frosting)
The frosting is good too. Like the cake, it calls for unsweetened chocolate and no cocoa powder. To make it, you first dissolve sugar in hot cream. You then add unsweetened chocolate and butter and let it melt into the cream mixture. Instead of cooling or chilling and beating until creamy, you hold the bowl over a bowl of ice and beat until thick with a hand-held mixer.
Anna says
Hekawi,
Thanks for answering Esther's question. Here in TX, 8 inch pans are pretty easy to find. You can get them at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Michael's or just about any store that sells bakeware. They're not very deep, though....maybe 2 inches? I know in other countries cake pans are much deeper.
Hekawi says
Esther asked about 8-inch cake pans -- I got mine at Sur La Table. They are hard to find but I think the taller cake looks much more festive, don't you?
jenna says
great blog! can't wait to read more!
come and check out mine. enjoy 🙂
jenna
Louise says
The Chocolate Icing recipe is in "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts" published in 1980. It went with her County-Fair Chocolate Layer Cake. It's a keeper. 🙂
Anna says
Jessie, the icing kept remarkably well. Usually I refrigerate cakes, but I kept this one on a counter under a cake dome. The icing tasted great for at least 4 days.
jessielou says
I need to try that icing technique! Did it keep just as well??
LimeCake says
what a lovely cake! your mom must've had a magnificent time surrounded by family and delicious cake!
the blissful baker says
mmm that cake looks so chocolatey and delicious! i love dense, moist cakes.
Esther says
That looks like a very yummy cake. Where did you get the 8 inch cake pans though? I haven't seen any in stores.
Katrina says
Karen--the Food & Wine recipe credits Maida Heatter with the frosting recipe. I want to try it.
Katrina says
Mmm. I don't care about certain non-cake lovers here, looks good to me. Actually, if he HAD to have cake, it'd be chocolate/chocolate.
Karen says
Maida Heatter has a very similar frosting recipe, I have made it many times and it is very good. Your cake looks terrific!
Lisa Ernst says
Looks very good! I want to try the chocolate icing technique sometime. I agree that freezing the cake actually improves the texture. My favorite chocolate cake is from a place in Amelia Island called Gourmet Gourmet and they freeze the cake initially. It is very dense and moist, kind of in between a brownie and cake texture. Probably the type of batter contributes to that as well.
Sue says
Mmmm! Your description makes that cake sound as good as it looks! I've never heard of dissolving sugar in warm cream for icing. Good idea!