Simple Cocoa Layer Cake

When I told my mom that I was going to make jelly bean fudge for Easter, she didn't think that was enough and suggested I make a cake. So I turned to my plethora of cookbooks in search of a chocolate cake recipe (because who doesn't like chocolate? Plus, I had given up chocolate again for Lent). I finally settled on a fairly simple recipe from the Hershey's 1934 Cookbook.

I also searched for decorating ideas. Because bringing a plain cake seemed boring. Sadly, I wasn't able to execute the main idea I liked as it involved bunny Peeps and all I found at Target was chicks. Still, I did my best with drug store and dollar store finds, plus a prepared decorating bag (already filled with frosting - you can find them in the baking aisle) that I wasn't able to use for decorating St. Patrick's Day cookies. I might've gone overboard on decorating.

Simple Cocoa Layer Cake (Hershey's 1934 Cookbook, pg 26)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg yolks, well-beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cups Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/4 cups milk
2 egg whites

Directions

1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla, and add the egg yolks.
2. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa together. Add alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the chocolate batter. (beating the egg whites took me at least an hour. I might need to borrow my parents' electric egg mixer next time.)
4. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8-inch cake pans and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) 30-35 minutes.
5. Put together and frost with icing or frosting of your choice (the book suggests Busy Day Cocoa Icing, pg 35 of book. I used a can of Pilsbury chocolate frosting to save time and some frustration. I can never seem to get homemade frosting right)

This was a hit, decorations and all. Everyone loved it. I think what might've upped the flavor was that I used chocolate almond milk instead of regular almond milk. I had purchased it for regular use, completely forgetting that the recipe required milk. I think the next time I make a chocolate something that requires milk, I'm gonna make sure that I have chocolate milk on hand. My aunt and uncle kept the rest for my uncle to take to work, although based on the text from my aunt after she had a piece, it might not have gotten that far. I'll probably go easy on the decorations next time, though. Maybe even plan WAY ahead.