by Bobbie Goering
The first cookbook I ever read as a novel was Christopher Blake’s
Easy Elagance Cookbook. I picked it up as a bargain book somewhere and then was swept away into a strange land where Drunken Pork Loin and Sweet Potato and Turnip Casserole were regularly on the table.
But I wasn’t much of a cook back in 1978 and then after Jerry and I married, he did the regular cooking and I did the ordering out, cookies, and cakes.
So it is no surprise my favorite recipe from Easy Elegance was a dessert, the Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.
Cake batter:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
3-4 heaping Tbs. cocoa
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. vanilla
Icing:
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
1/4 lb. powdered sugar
2 Tbs. cocoa
3-4 Tbs. strong coffee
To make cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift sugar, baking soda, flour and cocoa in a large mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise, water and vanilla; with an electric beater, mix to a smooth consistency.
Plase equal amounts of the cake batter in 2 round 8″ cake pans which have been coated with butter or shortening and lightly floured. Bake for 40 minutes or until a silver knife comes out dry when inserted in the middle.
To make icing and assemble: Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar. (If the icing is too dry as you blend in the sugar, simply add a little more butter.) When thoroughly blended, add the cocoa and then the warm coffee, a little at a time.
When completely smooth, frost the top and sides of the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Dr R. Jack Cunningham.
Author’s note: Don’t let the mayonnaise frighten you. It will give the cake a light and moist consistency and help it to rise. This is, without a doubt, one of the best chocolate cakes.
This was my staple for “What can I bring?” I made it dozens of times, no failure.
There was an occasion where an aunt and uncle from central Kansas were in Chicago for a visit with Uncle Walt and Aunt Della and on their way home, they stopped in to visit us in Lockport. What to serve? Cooking for Goering aunts is intimidating. I whipped together my never-fail staple and it looked beautiful. I proudly cut wedges and served them on my best china. Then I sat down and took a bite myself.
Gag! I realized I must have used 2 Tablespoons of baking soda instead of 2 teaspoons. It was like eating chocolate chalk. I was mortified. Once I managed to swallow, I croaked to the aunt sitting next to me, “I think I used too much baking soda.”
She said, “It’s very good.” And bless her heart, she ate every bit and used her fork to pick up the crumbs.
This was the ultimate act of kindness. I wish I knew which aunt to thank. I think it might have been Aunt Rosie, but perhaps it was Aunt Grace. And it might have been Delores, Frieda, or Elva if they were heading back to Kansas. But then Ida, Orletta, Hildred, Gene, Joan, or Alice could have been on their way to Kansas before heading on to their homes. I can picture each one of my aunts graciously eating chocolate chalk as if their niece had just served them the best cake ever.