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1920s Chocolate Cake with Black Cocoa frosted with vanilla icing on a wooden cake stand

Classic 1920s Chocolate Cake With Black Cocoa Recipe

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This old fashioned chocolate cake with cocoa and sour milk is adapted from an authentic 1927 newspaper recipe titled “Black Cake.” It comes together in one bowl with no mixer required. The buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to produce a tender, fudgy crumb with deep cocoa flavor. Frost with white or chocolate icing for a completely authentic vintage result.

  • Total Time: 40 Minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup black cocoa powder
  • 1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
To finish:
  • White icing or chocolate icing for frosting

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a 9×13 baking pan, or 2 9 inch round pans, or a 9×9 square pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Do not skip this step – the original recipe specifies it, and it is the reason the cake releases cleanly.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and the sugar until light, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a hand mixer.
  4. Add the egg, vanilla, salt, buttermilk, cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda all at once to the creamed fat and sugar.
  5. Stir by hand; not with a mixer. The batter will look glossy.
  6. Pour into the prepared pan(s) and spread evenly.
  7. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the top springs back lightly when pressed and the edges pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. Check at 28 minutes – this cake goes from done to overdone quickly.
  8. Cool completely in the pan before frosting with white or chocolate icing.

Equipment

Find it online: https://recipe-rewind.com/classic-chocolate-cake-with-black-cocoa/

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