This retro recipe is based on the one from Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book, which was first published in 1950. The book has step-by-step instructions with illustrations, some in color and some in black and white, to help new housewives. After the Depression and the War years, it was nice to have a little prosperity and the ability to try new foods. The cook book devotes a lot of pages to breads (yeast and quick), cakes, frostings, cookies, and desserts, especially to promote Betty Crocker flours and products. But it is an all-around everything cook book, with recipes for beverages, eggs, meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables, too.
Of course, there are the Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix and ready-made Chocolate Fudge Icing. However, herewith is the recipe for Betty Crocker‘s New Fudge Cake (new as of 1950, anyway) if you want to make it from scratch.
Ingredients and directions for the cake portion of New Fudge Cake:
2 cups sifted Gold Medal all-purpose Flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 soft shortening
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 squares chocolate (4 oz.), melted
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9″ cake pans.
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the shortening, milk, and the vanilla. Beat the eggs for 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate. Stir in the nuts.
Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Test with a toothpick to see if done. Cool on a rack. Remove from pans when cool. Then finish with Fudge Frosting.
Ingredients and directions for Fudge Frosting:
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbs. corn syrup
2 Tbs. butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (4 oz.), chopped
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine all the ingredients except the vanilla extract in a saucepan. Cook covered for the first three minutes. Do not stir until it reaches the soft ball stage (234 degrees). Remove it from the heat. Let it stand and cool. Then add the vanilla and stir. If the frosting is too thick, consider adding some cream If it’s too thin, add some sifted confectioner’s sugar.
If you are interested in another chocolate cake retro recipe, please click here for “Cherry Chocolate Cake.”
7 Comments
This is the cake I always make in my younger years, whether for company or just the family. It always comes out just right. Easy and delicious. I’m so happy I found this recipe online because my old Betty Crocker Cookbook has long since disappeared.
So glad. I love it, too.
This is the birthday cake everyone in my family requests (for the past 50 years).
Nice!!
This is the cake I make for all of my kids birthdays. Everyone loves it! I just made 2 of them this past weekend !
I have my moms original Betty Crocker Cookbook with the recipe in it. I put my moms buttercream frosting on top – yummy!
Love this cake. I always use parchment paper because it has a tendency to stick. Anyway… this is the frosting recipe from my mom’s cookbook.:
Minute Fudge frosting__________________________________________
Mix in a saucepan:
2 cups sugar,
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ cup milk
½ cup shortening
2 squares unsweetened chocolate cut up
¼ tsp salt.
Stir over low heat until chocolate and shortening melt. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute 220 degrees w/ candy thermometer
Remove from heat and beat until lukewarm (120 degrees)
Stir in 1tsp vanilla
Continue beating until spreading consistency
I have my moms old Betty Crocker Cookbook from the 50’s. I make this cake several times a year. All my kids, grandkids, family and friends love it. I frost it with my moms butter cream frosting. Yum!