Grandma Jo Chocolate Cake (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Cake
01 -
250 g water
02 -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
03 -
59 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
04 -
3 large eggs, room temperature
05 -
250 g all-purpose flour
06 -
1 teaspoon baking soda
07 -
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
08 -
1 teaspoon baking powder
09 -
57 g unsalted butter, softened
10 -
300 g granulated sugar
11 -
18 ounces sauerkraut, chopped and well-drained (around 1½ cups)
→ Frosting
12 -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 -
6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
14 -
3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
15 -
375 g confectioners' sugar
16 -
44 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab a 9×13-inch baking dish and coat it evenly with nonstick spray.
02 -
Use a hand mixer to blend softened butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Start slow, then go to medium speed until it's fluffy. Crack in the eggs one at a time, add vanilla, and mix again at varying speeds until it's all smooth.
03 -
Get another bowl and stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until totally blended.
04 -
In three rounds, add the flour mixture and water alternately to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix after each addition, making sure everything's smooth before moving to the next.
05 -
Gently fold the drained sauerkraut into the batter. Pour it all into the greased baking dish, spread it out evenly, then bake for 35–40 minutes. The cake's ready when a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely before frosting.
06 -
Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Cream the butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar mix and heavy cream little by little, blending them together. Stir in the vanilla and beat until fluffy. Adjust the texture by adding more cream or sugar, depending on how thick you'd like it.
07 -
Spread the whipped-up chocolate frosting smoothly across the top of the chilled cake.