Hot Cocoa Cake
This recipe is a timeless classic, passed down through generations. It's a labor of love that yields a decadent and flavorful cake that's perfect for any occasion.
This recipe is a timeless classic, passed down through generations. It's a labor of love that yields a decadent and flavorful cake that's perfect for any occasion.
- Carbohydrate 119.08659875 g
- Cholesterol 26.858125 mg
- Fat 22.87890546875 g
- Fiber 2.40120004373789 g
- Protein 5.7148028125 g
- Saturated Fat 4.08534284434375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (176g)
- Sodium 375.478421875 mg
- Sugar 116.685398706262 g
- Trans Fat 1.01854054719375 g
- Calories 692 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt and bring to a boil: 1 stick margarine, 1/2 cup oil, 3 tbsp. cocoa, 1 cup water
- Mix with above: 2 cups sugar, 2 cups flour
- Add to the above mixture: 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. vanilla
- Mix all the above together in a large mixing bowl.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour the batter in the baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick inserted in the center and while it''s baking, make the icing (below).
- Melt the icing ingredients (1 stick margarine, 2 1/2 tbsp. cocoa, 6 tbsp. milk) in a small saucepan - do not boil.
- In medium mixing bowl, mix the melted icing mixture with 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup of pecans, and 1 tsp. of vanilla.
- Pour the icing and spread it over the cake while it''s still hot.
Standard chocolate sheet cakes are typically baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, but this formulation requires a hotter oven set at 400 degrees. Boiling the initial fat and water mixture denatures proteins differently than standard creaming methods do. That boiling step dissolves the sugar completely before the dry ingredients enter the bowl, creating a fluid batter that behaves unpredictably if you attempt to halve the measurements. Halving a two-egg recipe leaves you measuring fractional eggs, which alters the structural crumb.
Adjusting Yields and Dietary Swaps
Scaling this 9x13 pan yielding sixteen portions up to a half-sheet pan requires multiplying all ingredients by 1.5, not 2, due to surface area constraints. When swapping margarine for butter, use an equal 1:1 ratio, but expect a denser final crumb because plant-based spreads contain varying water percentages. Buttermilk can be replaced by mixing one tablespoon of lemon juice per half cup of standard milk and resting it for ten minutes.
- Pour the hot icing over the cake immediately while the surface is still steaming to ensure proper absorption.
- Store leftovers at room temperature under a domed lid for up to three days.
- Check doneness at the 35-minute mark using a wooden skewer.
