June is busting out all over (how many song references can I add today I wonder?) and after a few very hot days up here in New Hampshire, we have had some extremely cool weather. No wonder someone said somewhere that you never put your coat or jacket away in New England.
Anyhow, I took advantage of the break in the heat to do some baking this week. I bake to save money and because homemade breads, rolls, cookies, pies and so on taste better than ones you can buy. In the last two days I have made homemade pizza with homemade dough, chocolate chip muffins, peanut butter cookies, and today I made a cake.
Baking is actually my therapy. I don't do drugs, drink alcohol, smoke or use any medications if I can avoid them. Like many people, my family has some financial stress (thank you Recession) and I home school my wonderfully special son who has mild autism. I have a very lovely but needy Pointer Lab/Something Houndy dog who would prefer we walk all day instead of home schooling! I feel pulled in 50 directions some days and the only way I can get myself a bit calm is pulling out the cake pans or yeast dough and making something with my two hands.
I used to think that odd, but I read someone else says she does this, too, and I bet many of you do, as well.
Anyway----
The recipe of this cake, known all over the internet as Jessie Young's Radio Cake is not mine. It's Jessie Young's (you can read all about her if you google the lady). The whole idea of people visiting by radio out West seems fascinating. Maybe it's something other lonely people could adopt in the 21st Century-but visiting by Skype or something similar.
This is a good cake if you don't have any eggs in the house or if someone you know is allergic to eggs or just hates eggs. I rarely bake WITHOUT eggs but sometimes I do taste the batter mindlessly (bad, bad) because raw eggs can have salmonella.
It is a bit time consuming but you can do it in steps like I do when I can grab a few minutes here and there. The nice thing is the ingredients are probably in your home if you bake at all and you won't have to run to the market for some extract of coconut or other odd item you may only use once every year.
Enjoy!
Jessie Young's
Radio Cake
THE CAKE
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
THE FILLING
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
TO MAKE THE CAKE: Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Stir the
cocoa into the boiling water, then combine that with the sugar and butter. Add
the remaining cake ingredients one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a sharp
knife inserted into the center of the layers comes out clean. Cool the layers
in the pans on a cake rack.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: Mix the cocoa, cornstarch, and sugar in a
heavy-bottomed saucepan. Beat in the water and cook the mixture over medium heat
until it is thick and creamy. Remove from the heat, cool for 10 minutes, and
stir in the vanilla.
Turn the cake layers out of the pans and spread the filling on
one. Place the second layer on top.Use any desired frosting for the top, but
leave the sides unfrosted.
10 TO 12 SERVINGS
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