Tash’s Heirloom Hot Chocolate Cake

This recipe has been handed down for two generations in my family. It’s that vintage sheet cake that somehow gets better over time - if it manages to last that long. It begins by making a big saucepan of bubbling hot chocolate that always threatens to bubble over. Seriously, you have to keep your eyes on this part!  It’s sweet, but not too sweet and slightly fudgy. It’s positively irresistible, nostalgic and the perfect snacking cake that won’t last more than two days. There are seasons where I make this once a week and sometimes, depending on how many people are visiting, twice a week! It really is that good.

Ingredients

Cake
2 cups of water
3 cups of granulated sugar (relax, it’s a sheet cake)
250g of butter
⅓ cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3 cups of all purpose flour
4 ½  teaspoons of baking powder
4 large eggs slightly beaten

Frosting
90g of butter
⅓ cup of cocoa powder
⅓ of water
½ cup of granulated sugar
1 ½ cups of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


Equipment Needed
25.6 x 33 cm pan
Whisk
Stand Mixer or Hand Beater
Saucepan
Spatula
Mixing Spoon

Preheat Oven to 325F or 180C

In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, butter, cocoa powder and bring to a gentle simmer. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the baking soda (NOT to be confused with the baking powder). This is the part where it gets exciting. Gently mix and be prepared for it to double in volume. Let is simmer very gently for around 5 minutes uncovered. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool to room temperature. 

While the mixture is cooling, combine flour and baking powder in a bowl and gently whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until their incorporated and somewhat fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs and mix with electric mixer for a one minute until fluffy. Add flour combination gently - otherwise you’ll end up with flour everywhere! Once all incorporated mix on medium speed until the batter has changed to a paler color. Pour mixture into your prepared greased dish. 

Bake for around 50 minutes. Once the centre comes out clean, remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Don’t overcook the cake! It will lose its doughy moist texture. 

While the cake is cooking, I like to get a start on the icing as it needs time to cool.

Place butter, water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer until all of the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool while the cake finishes cooking.

Once chocolate mixture is cool and the cake has been removed from the oven and cool enough to ice, put chocolate mixture in stand mixer. Add sifted icing sugar and whip until it’s smooth and fluffy. Scoop icing onto cake and smooth