World War II Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
This retro recipe for World War II Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake from America's Best Lost Recipes was born out of necessity when oil and eggs were scarce and rationed during the war. While making this moist cake I couldn't help but think of all the mothers and grandmothers in starched aprons baking this wonderful dessert for their husbands and sons who were marching off to war or returning from the battlefield. Bake this easy to assemble cake in your 10 inch dutch oven and line it with parchment paper or foil for easier removal. This was ready in 30 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18-20 on the lid. Check it after 20 minutes, you may have to add or remove a few coals to make sure the center is cooking all the way through. Making a cooked frosting was a new experience for me, I doubled the recipe and I'm glad I did because I had just enough to cover the sides of the cake. Once the frosting cooled it became harder to spread and I ended up patting it on with the back of a spoon. Even if it didn't look quite as I expected the taste more than made up for it. The rich, sweet, butterscotch frosting was the perfect topping to the dense, chocolate cake. Use your favorite canned variety if you like a lighter, fluffier frosting. Not only is this cake easy to make but it's a way to honor America's past and the home cooks that have gone before us.

Ingredients

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water

Frosting:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl.

2. Stir the mayonnaise, granulated sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the water and stir until combined. Whisk in the flour mixture until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan, at least 45 minutes.

3. FOR THE FROSTING: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Then, off the heat, carefully stir in the milk. Return to a boil, then remove from the heat to cool until just warm, about 30 minutes. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and spread the icing evenly over the cake. The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days.

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