Old Time Chocolate Cake recipe from 1962

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This Chocolate Cake recipe — labeled as “Old Time Chocolate Cake” — appeared in a newspaper dated July 24, 1962*. 


Topped with an ermine frosting, it’s rich, buttery, chocolaty delight without being overly sweet.


INGREDIENTS


Cake:

  • 3 oz unsweetened chocolate (85g)
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups sifted cake flour (200g)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp double-acting baking powder
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter (151g)
  • ⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar (133g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Ermine Frosting:

  • ½ cup flour (60g)
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (345g)
  • 1 ½ cups icing sugar (188g)
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Note: All ingredients should be room temperature unless otherwise stated.


Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C
  • Grease and line two 8 or 9-inch cake pans

Cake:

  1. In a small saucepan, blend chocolate and water over very low heat until the chocolate melts. Blend well.
  2. Remove from heat and set aside to cool thoroughly.
  3. Sift flour, then measure or weigh.
  4. Sift pre-sifted flour with baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  5. Mix sugars together in a small bowl.
  6. In a large bowl, cream butter to the consistency of mayonnaise.
  7. Add sugars gradually while continuing to cream until light and fluffy.
  8. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated after each addition.
  9. Mix in vanilla extract.
  10. Whisk sour cream into the cooled, melted chocolate. Mix well.
  11. Add flour mixture to the batter alternately with the sour cream/chocolate mixture. (Beginning and ending with dry.) 
  12. Divide batter evenly between 8 or 9-inch cake pans and level with a spatula.
  13. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/175°C for 30-35 minutes. (Bake times will vary based on pan size and oven. Keep an eye on it.)
  14. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then remove from pans and fully cool on a cake rack.
  15. Once cooled, top with ermine frosting or vanilla buttercream.
Enjoy!

Final Verdict:

This is a fairly standard chocolate cake that is kind of light on chocolate flavour. Maybe a chocolate frosting would have helped, or replacing the half cup of water with a half cup of coffee would boost chocolate flavour. Otherwise, this is a fairly middle-of-the-road chocolate cake.


Original newspaper clipping:

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