As promised, we have one more recipe for you this holiday season. This one comes from Veronica Murphy, who along with serving as our Development Director is currently appearing as Ma Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Please enjoy.

When I was a young bride and not very kitchen adept (I put butter in the pan to fry bacon!!! and my first jello salad was more like jello soup), this is the first cake I ever made. It turns out I could bake!! This cake immediately became our family ‘Birthday Cake’ tradition, affectionately known as ‘Aunt Vicki’s Chocolate Cake.’ WARNING – When I made it for my youngest son’s 15th birthday, I mistakenly left out the baking soda. Not recommended!! It was tasty but very chewy, more like a giant Oreo cookie than a cake.

• • 2/3 cup soft butter (the flavor’s in the fat, as my chef friend tells me)
• • 1 3/4 cups sugar (apologies to my many diabetic friends)
• • 2 eggs (sans shells, of course)
• • 1tsp. vanilla extract (not the fake stuff)
• • 2 1/2 one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (in double boiler, never melt chocolate over direct heat)
• • 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (my grandmother never made cakes with any other flour)
• • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda (Don’t forget this one)
• • 1/2 tsp. salt
• • 1 1/4 cups ice water (not sure why it has to be so cold but I’ve never tried it otherwise)

Cream together first 4 ingredients until fluffy. (Beat 5 minutes at high speed)
Blend in cooled chocolate.
Separately sift together cake flour, soda and salt;
Add to creamed mixture, alternating with ice water, beginning and ending with flour mixture – beat after each addition.
Bake in 2 greased and floured 9″ round pans at 350 degrees F (Don’t forget to preheat) for 35 minutes. It also works for cupcakes and loaf cake but the round layer is prettiest.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. When cake is cool to touch – FROST!

This is the frosting my mother taught me to make and at the end it’s a little by look and feel (you know how mothers cook).

• • 3 1/2 one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
• • 3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• • 4 1/2 tbsp. hot water
• • 1 egg
• • 1/2 cup soft butter
• • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt Chocolate. Blend in sugar and water. Beat in egg, then butter and vanilla until of spreading consistency. If it’s too thin, place bowl in ice water and continue to beat. Or add a tiny bit more sugar.

Don’t forget to let the little ones (or the big ones) lick the bowl and spoons before washing.