Another One from the Vault

Gold Medal "Kitchen-tested"
FUDGE CAKE
(A Prize Chocolate Cake)
4 tbsp. butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs

2 cups Softasilk cake flour OR
1 3/4 cups GOLD MEDAL "Kitchen-tested" Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Method
(Oven 350)
1. Cream butter, add sugar gradually, and cream thoroughly
2. (By the way, separate the eggs, set aside whites.) Blend in the well-beaten egg yolks.
3. Sift flour before measuring
4. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.
Beat just enough to make the batter smooth (about 5 seconds).
5. Blend in the melted chocolate, vanilla and nuts
6. Fold in the egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry
7. Pour into well greased and floured layer pans or large loaf pan and bake

Bake 45 minutes for layers, 50 to 55 minutes for loaf
Two 9 inch layer pans or one 8 x 12 inch loaf

Note: This cake has a delicious fudge-like flavor and consistency, and is complete without icing. If you prefer it iced, however, use a cooked fudge icing, a chocolate butter icing, a cooked white icing or any type desired.

I desired the Simple Chocolate Icing from Ghirardelli, which is also from "the vault" and happens to be a cooked fudge icing. I like these cooked fudge icings, especially over a rich cake, because I can just pool it in the center of each layer and encourage it to drizzle attractively down the sides without fretting over crumbs. A sprinkle of nuts and you're done. Looks fancy, not that hard. I'm proud to say that I'm a person who can now make a birthday cake or pie without sweating over it. It most definitely won't be perfect, but it will be delicious!

I didn't have walnuts when I made the cake layers at home, but Grandpa (who by the way, spotted the clue and knew that there was a cake surprise in store for him) happened to have walnuts on hand in the freezer, so he suggested we sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top of the icing on each layer. Delicious! We served it with fresh sliced strawberries and cold glasses of milk. Happy Birthday!


PS- That little whisk-broom thing is a cake tester I received as a gift. Just a bundle of little tiny skewers for sticking into cakes. At the rate I'm going, it will last a lifetime.