Sour Chocolate Cake

Name: Sour Chocolate Cake
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 10-12
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 2 cup milk; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. white vinegar; 3 ⁄ 4 cup shortening, plus more for greasing; 2 cups flour; 2 cups sugar; 2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 ⁄ 2 cup cocoa powder; 8 tbsp. unsalted butter; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 2 cups confectioners' sugar; 3 tbsp. cocoa powder; 1 ⁄ 4 cup milk; 5 tbsp. unsalted butter

Serves
serves 10-12

PENNY DE LOS SANTOS

This cinnamony chocolate cake was a staple at the now-closed Half-a-Hill Tavern in Greene County, Missouri, in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. It gets a pleasing tang from vinegar, and a moist, light crumb thanks to shortening in the batter.

Ingredients

For the Cake

¹⁄₂ cup milk
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. white vinegar
³⁄₄ cup shortening, plus more for greasing
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
¹⁄₂ cup cocoa powder
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten

For the Icing

2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
¹⁄₄ cup milk
5 tbsp. unsalted butter

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the cake: Mix milk and vinegar in bowl; let sit until slightly curdled, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish with shortening. Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda, in a bowl; make a well in the center. Bring shortening, cocoa powder, butter, and 1⁄2 cup water to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, 5-7 minutes; let cool slightly. Whisk in milk mixture and eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into greased pan and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes; let cool.

Step 3

Make the icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Simmer milk and butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted, 3-4 minutes. Whisk in sugar mixture until smooth. Pour icing over cake; let set completely, about 30 minutes.

Make the cake: Mix milk and vinegar in bowl; let sit until slightly curdled, about 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish with shortening. Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda, in a bowl; make a well in the center. Bring shortening, cocoa powder, butter, and 1⁄2 cup water to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, 5-7 minutes; let cool slightly. Whisk in milk mixture and eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms. Pour batter into greased pan and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes; let cool.
Make the icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Simmer milk and butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted, 3-4 minutes. Whisk in sugar mixture until smooth. Pour icing over cake; let set completely, about 30 minutes.