02/26/2024
My Granny's recipe. I'll be glad to share! This is how we do it!
Preheat oven to 425° -
Cake batter:
4 c. cake flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 c. White sugar
3 sticks of real butter softened
6 large eggs (room temp)
3 tsp of vanilla extract
2 c. Whole milk
Cream the butter and sugar (approx. 5-7 minutes) then add 2 eggs at a time (don't over beat ). In a separate bowl mix the cake flour, baking powder and salt together. Then start adding the flour to your eggs, butter and sugar a little bit at a time alternating between milk and flour and always and with the flour. Add vanilla extract. (Don't over beat it).
At this point I get my late grandmother's 9in flat iron skillet out and spray with Baker's joy. If you don't have a flat iron skillet, they say you can use the 8.5 inch disposable cake pans. Using a tablespoon add 7 tbsp of cake batter to the pan. Spread it out as evenly as possible. (If you're using an iron skillet once it heats up good the cake batter will just spread almost on its own) cook each layer until it's just dried out and looks like a sponge on top about 5 minutes. Repeat until all your cake batter is gone or until you just give out standing at the stove.
Icing:
3 c. Sugar
1 c. Hersey's cocoa powder
2 12oz cans of canned cream (evaporated milk)
3-4 tbsp light corn syrup
1 stick of butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
Mix sugar and cocoa powder in a heavy saucepan. add your canned milk a little at a time (to keep cocoa powder from floating to the top) until both cans are mixed in the sugar and cocoa powder. Add corn syrup. Start out cooking on about a medium-high heat and once it starts bubbling a little turn it down to medium stirring often. Cook approximately 20-25 minutes or until semi-softball stage (232°) lastly stir in butter and vanilla.
Once your icing is ready start assembling your layers while it's hot, about a 1/4 cup for each layer. The icing will stiffen up a little as it cools and keeps the layers from sliding. Add icing to the sides.