Coca-Cola Cake!!

"Baking with colas began as a popular Southern tradition and has been around ever since" - Warren Brown

This recipe came from 'United Cakes of America' by Warren Brown.  I was feeling the need to use my new (albeit very plain - much to my chagrin) cake stand, so I decided to make this cake.  My son asked me why I was making a cake, and for what occasion?  My daughter replied, "just 'cause she wants to make us something yummy to eat!"  She was so right! It turned out beautifully and it was delicious! ~Janet

cake

Dry ingredients:

2 cup flour

3 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ cup mini marshmallows

Wet ingredients:

1 cup Coca-cola

¼ cup milk

Creaming ingredients:

12 Tbsp (1 ½ sticks) butter

2 cup superfine granulated sugar (caster sugar)

2 eggs

·  Preheat oven to 335 deg.

·  Grease two 9X2 in round pans and line with parchment paper

·  Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls and set aside

·  Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Process on low speed for 3-4 min.

·  Add the eggs to the creamed butter one at a time.  Let the first one incorporate before adding the second.

·  Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients about a quarter at a time with out pausing between additions

·  Divide batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 min, or until edges come away from the pan or a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

·  Cool cakes until they are cool enough to touch and then invert onto plates.

·  Allow cakes to cool completely before assembling the cakes with frosting.  If desired, finish the cake by adding chocolate curls on top and mini marshmallows along the sides.  Create the curls by running a veggie peeler along the side of a good-quality chocolate bar, allowing a curl to form.  Allow curls to fall all over cake.  

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Butter cream

(makes 4 cups)

1 cup milk

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp coca powder

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) but I added

1-3 oz bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled (optional) but I added

·  Quickly whisk together 4 tablespoons of the milk and the flour. The slurry will be somewhat thick, so whisk thoroughly to make a smooth paste.  Press out any lumps with a spatula, if necessary. (It wasn't for me)
·  Whisk in the rest of the milk and the coca powder and transfer to a 2 quart heavy bottom pan.  Bring to a simmer for about 30 sec. over medium heat, stirring constantly.
·  Remove pan from hear, cover with a lid, and cool for 15-30 min. 
·  Meanwhile, combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on high speed.
·  Add the contents from the pot to the mixer and continue to beat on high speed until the butter cream is smooth, about 5 minutes. (Don't worry!  Your liquid-y frosting will firm up with continued beating!) Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla and chocolate if using.  *I used 3 ounces of Ghirardelli chocolate and the frosting turned out SO yummy!

 source(s): United Cakes of America: author Warren Brown