Fall In Love with Chocolate All Over Again: Lovin' Cake

Chocolate is perhaps the most ancient indulgence in human existence. The Aztecs regarded chocolate as a food of the royals because of it's rich and velvety texture. Simply uttering te word "chocolate" will put a smile on any face, old or young. This recipe will make you fall in love with chocolate as if you took your first bite of the sweet goodness. I call it "Lovin' Cake" and it's an old recipe I developed since I was a teenager. I also infuse the flavors of Mexican style chocolate with the combination of cocoa and cinnamon. The buttermilk adds a great richness to the cake as well:


Cara's Lovin' Cake



For Cake:
- 2 sticks Butter
- 5 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

For Chocolate Glaze:
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 4 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 6 tablespoons Milk (whole is best)
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Garnish:
- 1 cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)


To make a sheet cake (13x9), prepare baking pan with non-stick spray or butter & flour method, and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick test comes out clean. I recommend using a pyrex baking pan for this.

To make a bundt cake (9 inch), prepare pan the same as before, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 50 minutes on middle rack, or until a toothpick test comes out clean.

Cake: In a double boiler, melt the butter and blend in the cocoa and water until smooth. Sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and add the butter/cocoa mixture and blend thoroughly. Add beaten eggs and buttermilk until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla and pour batter into prepared baking vessel. Bake for designated time and temperature listed above.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add cocoa and whisk until completely smooth. Add milk and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in sifted powdered sugar until completely smooth. Return saucepan to heat and allow sugar to dissolve, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow glaze to cool partially before applying to cake. Sprinkle top of cake with chopped pecans or walnuts after applying the glaze. This glaze is a bit thin, however you can thicken it a bit with cornstarch if you'd like.





Every time I make this cake, I even win over those who aren't even chocolate fans, if you can imagine that! I enjoy making this cake for the holidays, but it's great any time of year, especially when you want to indulge in true chocolatey goodness. Fall in love and feel like a royal at the same time!