The Farmer's Daughter Cake

square slice of cake with chocolate icing.

An easy vanilla cake topped with a unique old-fashioned chocolate icing that pours on top and firms up to form a delicious chocolate coating.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

cooling3

Total Time4 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: farmers daughter cake, old fashioned cake recipe

Servings: slices

Calories: 418kcal

Author: Katie

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

Instructions

Make the Cake

Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center. Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9 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

No unsweetened baking chocolate? Use 3/4 cup of cocoa and 2 tablespoons butter or shortening when you start the icing (you'll still add more butter at the end.)

Substitute 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla with almond or coconut extract for a different flavor.

Keep any leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap on the counter; it will not disturb the icing.

If your room is very warm and the icing won't set, pop it in the fridge.

Nutrition