A Midnight Snack

Whenever my mother took a dessert to a potluck

or a dessert for the "dead spread"

it was this easy chocolate cake.

Known as "Dump Cake", it's a quick and good 

chocolate cake.

She frosted it with a chocolate buttercream frosting

and usually sprinkled it with nuts.

Because of the black walnut tree in our back garden

the nuts were always black walnuts.

I'm not sure I ever had a nut on a chocolate cake that wasn't a black walnut

until I was grown!

Today, we had a funeral at church

I was asked to bring dessert

(And help in the kitchen)

I chose Mother's Chocolate Cake

For that's what it's titled in my recipe book.

It makes a 9 x 13 pan of chocolate goodness.

I used a fudge cream cheese frosting instead of Mother's buttercream one.

But in homage to her, I sprinkled the cake with black walnuts.

The taste I had at the luncheon today

transported me back to my childhood.

Chocolate and black walnuts.

There were three pieces left over.

Which made a great late evening snack

with a glass of cold milk.

For chocolate cake and milk

together is a perfect combination!

Mother's Cake:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 c. milk

2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. cocoa

3/4 c. butter

3 large eggs

2 t. vanilla

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 350.    Pam a 9 x 13 pan (or grease and flour).    Combine all the ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat until well mixed (about 3 min).     Pour the batter into the prepared pan (pans).    Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched.     Cool and then frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.     

I chose a fudge cream cheese frosting.

FUDGY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 T. butter, softened

3 T. milk

3 cups powdered sugar

2/3 c. cocoa

1/8 t. salt

1 1/2 t. vanilla

In a medium bowl, using a mixer set at medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter and milk together until smooth.   Add powdered sugar, cocoa and salt and continue to beat unit blended.

Reduce mixer speed to low, add the vanilla and beat until smooth.     

Spread on cooled cake.    Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired.    Black walnuts are especially good!

NOTE:   You could make these in layer pans -- 8 inch ones and make it into a layer cake.    But mother never did -- it was always baked in a 9 x 13 -- whether taking to church or making it for the family -- even for Sunday dessert.