Quick Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk, divided
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa, heaping
• 1/4 cup butter or vegetable shortening (Lump the size of an egg)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method

1. Preheat ovent to 350 F
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and espresso power together and set aside
3. Grease and flour an 8 x 8 inch baking pan
4. Disolve the baking soda and vanilla into 1/2 of the milk and set aside
5. Stir 1/2 the milk, egg and cocoa in a small sauce pan over medium heat constantly until thickened (The consistency of pudding).  Remove from heat
6. Melt the butter into the chocolate mixture stirring well
7. Add the milk mixture into the chocolate mixture stirring well
8. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well.  This batter will be very thin.  Pour mixture into prepared baking pan
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean

Serve warm or cold.  Store covered for up to three (3) days.

Notes

This recipe may be doubled to make a 9 x 13 inch cake.  Increase the cooking time to 40-45 minutes when doubling.

This depression era recipe’s most endearing features are the measurement for the fat, and the fact that you really heap the cocoa on the measuring spoon.  I get as much cocoa on the spoon as possible.

I added the vanilla and espresso powder to this cake to give it an extra flavor kick.