Mom's Best Chocolate Cake Recipe for National Chocolate Cake Day

Today, January 27, 2020, is National Chocolate Cake Day! And I can’t believe I couldn’t find any deals on cake for today! There aren’t any national deals but you might luck out and find somewhere local that’s offering a special. A search of “national chocolate cake day” on Twitter brought up some tweets by family-owned bakeries and small localized chains offering specials.

Or you can just stay in and make your own chocolate cake! (Keep reading below for a recipe.)

I am going to share with you something near and dear to me. My mother was renowned for her cooking, baking, cake making/decorating skills. I have all her recipes – many, many handwritten. And even the ones in cookbooks are so written on where she was making notes and “improving” the cookbook’s recipe. I have not done justice to many of these recipes. And for that I am ashamed.

For 8+ years now I have had in my possession, THE BEST CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE RECIPE with homemade chocolate frosting. And I have not made it a single time – until today.

BUT I’m going to share with you what became known in our family as “Mom’s Best Chocolate Cake”. Seriously, next to the recipe she wrote “the best”.

Mom’s Best Chocolate Cake
(serves 18-20)

2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 c water
2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour and sugar in large mixing bowl.
Combine cocoa and water in a saucepan. Add butter and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Pour saucepan mixture into flour and sugar mixture. Mix until batter is smooth.
Add buttermilk. Add slightly beaten eggs. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. (Batter will be thin).
Pour into a greased 10″ x 15″ cake pan.* Bake at 350 degrees. Approximately 17-20 minutes. (Ovens vary so check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake.)

*Note: if using a 9×13 size cake pan increase cook time to 30-35 minutes.

This cake freezes well also. Let cool, wrap tightly and store in freezer.

Chocolate Frosting:

1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 c cocoa
6 Tbsp milk
1 lb box confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
(optional) 1 c chopped nuts

Combine butter, cocoa and milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Add confectioners sugar to large mixing bowl and pour butter, cocoa and milk mixture (while still hot) into sugar.
Beat until mixture thickens. Add vanilla and nuts (optional).
Spread on cooled cake.

Happy #NationalChocolateCakeDay