Farmer’s Daughter Cake (Better Than the Original!)
Inside: A recipe for the Farmer’s Daughter Cake: easy to make, unpretentious, and loaded with old-fashioned charm.
I love the name of Farmer’s Daughter Cake. It feels so wholesome and comforting it’s almost my favorite thing about it. But my actual favorite part is that unique, old-fashioned chocolate icing. It might look intimidating, but I believe in you.
The Farmer’s Daughter Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk whole is best
Icing
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate see notes for substitutions
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1½ tablespoons butter unsalted
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Instructions
Make the Cake
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center. Prepare an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan by spraying with non-sticking baking spray or coating in shortening this dusting with flour.
- Make the batter. Beat the eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer until slightly lightened in color. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add half to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Then add the milk and finally the remaining dry ingredients, mixing on low.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Flip out onto a cooling rack, turn the cake right side up, and cover with a clean tea towel. The cake will flatten as it cools. Cool completely before icing.
Make the Icing
- Melt chocolate with milk and sugar. Melt the chocolate, sugar, and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, until the sugar dissolves (rub the mixture between your fingers to make sure the sugar is no longer grainy). Remove from the heat before it boils, and set aside.
- Temper eggs with heated chocolate. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture and stir into the yolks to temper them. Slowly add more chocolate, stirring continuously, until half of it is mixed into the eggs. Add the egg/ chocolate mixture back into the chocolate and mix until everything is combined.
- Add butter and cool. Pour into a mixing bowl (if you have a stand mixer, use that bowl), and stir in the butter by hand. Allow to cool at room temperature, undisturbed, until completely cool.
- Mix. Beat the icing with an electric mixer until it is smooth and shiny. It will become slightly lighter is color and stream down off the beater in ribbons. This will take about five minutes on high using a stand mixer, and ten with a hand mixer.
Ice the Cake
- Place cake on a wire rack or cake stand on top of parchment paper to catch any icing drips. Pour half of the icing in the center and along the edges of the cake. Wait one minute to let it run down the sides. Pour the remaining icing in the center and on any corners that were missed. It will smooth out on its own, but you can smooth it with a butter knife if you'd like. Let the cake stand at room temperature for two hours until the icing is dry to the touch. Carefully transfer the cake to a cake stand or platter to cut and serve.
Notes
Ingredient Insights
- The Oil Advantage: This cake stays incredibly moist and tender thanks to the use of vegetable oil instead of butter. Oil creates a different texture than butter, which I personally prefer. But if you’d prefer to use melted butter, you can.
- Whole Milk: Both the cake and the frosting call for whole milk. If you have 2%, you’ll be okay.
Tips For Your Cake:
Melting Chocolate: When melting chocolate, use a low and consistent heat. Consider using a double boiler to avoid direct contact with the flame. This will prevent any burning or lump formation. (I do not use a double boiler, but I do keep a close eye on it!).
Frosting as Flavor: The icing for this cake isn’t just a pretty topping! It plays a starring role. The chocolate flavor perfectly complements the simple vanilla cake, creating a delicious combination in every bite.
Tempering eggs. It might sound fancy, but it’s a crucial technique to prevent your icing from becoming a scrambled mess! All it means is slowly incorporating the hot chocolate mix into the eggs to gently raise their temperature.
Watch That Frosting: While mixing the icing, you’ll notice an amazing transformation. So it might look a little strange at first, but keep going.
Variations + Tweaks:
Since this is made up of basic flavors, you might want a few twists. Here are some ideas:
This recipe works in either an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan.. You could also bake in a loaf pan or round cake tins – just adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Spiced Twist: Add a touch of warmth to the cake by incorporating ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg into the dry ingredients.
- Citrus Surprise: Replace ¼ teaspoon of the vanilla extract with lemon or orange extract for a fresh, citrusy note.
A Note on Variations: Remember, significant changes in ingredients may affect the texture and density of the cake. For the best results, it’s usually wise to stick with one or two variations at a time.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.