Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake


Welcome to my little niche of the world -- welcome to Red Couch Recipes !  Also welcome to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday where the letter of the week is "N" for Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake.  If you are looking for a substantial, down to earth chocolate cake, this cake fits the bill.  My mother would make it quite often growing up and when she did she would call our family friend Debbie Douglas to tell her that cake was being serving.  Debbie loved mother's chocolate cake -- we all did!

One of the reasons I blog is to leave a "Kitchen History" for my children.  My dear mother Nedra died 21 years ago this month.  She was only 64 when she died.  I was the third daughter and didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen with her.  I had only been married less than two years before she died and hadn't really begun my own adventures in the kitchen.  We don't have many of her recipes; this recipe for Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake was one of my favorites that she made.  I hope that you like it.


Recipe for Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 -1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
7/8 cup boiling water

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or 2 (8-inch round cake pans).  In a  large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Then add 2 eggs and beat well. In a medium, and separate, bowl, add the whole wheat flour and cocoa together.   In a small bowl, add the buttermilk and vanilla together.  Then add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Add to mixture the baking soda.  Finally, add the 7/8 cup boiling water all at once and mix thoroughly.  Pour immediately into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes if using a 13 x 9 x 2 pan or 25 to 30 minutes if using the 8-inch round pans.  Frost with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting  -- see recipe below.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Blend together 3/4 cup room temperature butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3-4 tablespoons water. You may need to add extra water, depending on how thick you want it.  You may have extra frosting.  If you were my mother Nedra, you would save the frosting and spread it between graham crackers for a treat.

Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes today!

Posted with the following:

Show and Tell, Foodie Friday, I'm Lov'n It, Fun W/Food Friday

35 comments:

Lynn said...

Love the idea of using whole wheat flour and I have everything but the buttermilk. I'll just sub that with vinegar and milk. I see this going to the office very soon, thanks Joni:@)

Abi's Blog said...

This looks delicious! I will have to try it just as soon as I loose a few more pounds.
Blessings,
Ava

Jamie said...

This is not helping my new years better living resolution. LOL It looks amazing. Maybe I will be able to make it for my weekend splurge.

Julie Harward said...

Now that is a cake that will stick to the ribs...great recipe! :D

Anonymous said...

Joni,
What a very beautiful cake and recipe!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

I'm so glad you have a copy of this recipe... too many times people long for the food of their loved ones long after the loved ones have passed, but the other family members don't have a copy of the recipe.

I love that this recipe calls for wheat flour. I'm going to have to give it a try. Thank you for sharing one of your fondest food memories with us.

:)
ButterYum

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to make this delicious-sounding cake! Thank you so much for the recipes!

Blessings,
LesleyAnn

Sue said...

Looks and sounds DELICIOUS! I even have whole wheat flour and buttermilk...Mmmmmm:) It's nice to share and pass down something special and tangible to your children. Comfort food connections are the best! What a wonderful way to keep your mom's memory alive and well:)

Unknown said...

Wow, this cake looks amazing! I would love you to do a guest post on my blog sometime, yum!

Anonymous said...

i love stories and recipes that are handed down through the generations! anne

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

How sad that your mother passed away so young. Thankfully, you have this wonderful-sounding recipe! I'd love to try it too when my whole family is together. It must be healthy with the whole wheat flour, right?

Sarah said...

Joni, I have buttermilk in the refrigerator that needs to be used. This is the perfect solution. ;-) Looks yummy!
Cooking from our family recipes gives one special comfort. I'm happy to have Nedra's recipe to add to my recipe file. Thank you for sharing.
~ Sarah

Mary said...

What a wonderful recipe of your mother's to have~ Your cake looks too tempting for a chocoholic! Even the thought of that yummy icing between graham crackers is enough to make me drool :-)

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

How wonderful. I lost my sweet mum this year and was able to grab her recipe box from my sisters..lol..

Anyway, I'm planning on making and posting some of her recipes (She wasn't a really good cook, but she sure was a really good mother.)

Unknown said...

My maternal grandmother wrote down some of her favorite recipes and passed them to me. I love having them.

EG CameraGirl said...

Mmmm! It looks yummy! Thanks for the recipe!

Jacqueline said...

The cake looks fabulous. I always loved it because it was really nutty tasting with the whole wheat flour, plus you felt like it was a little healthier. Mother never made it look this pretty though. She would be thrilled! We will have to make one soon. (We still make graham cracker cookies with leftover frosting.)

Anonymous said...

I eat gluten free as much as I can, but my brother prefers whole wheat as much as possible because he thinks it's healthier. I'll have to pass your recipe on to him. He's not a baker, so my bet is he'll want me to make this cake for him.

Vintagesouthernlife said...

Looks and sounds delicious. I have been trying to use more recipes with whole wheat flour. Thanks for sharing.

Theresa Plas said...

Looks YUMMY! I've never used whole wheat flour. This would be a fun one to try.

Unknown said...

Oh my...that cake looks absolutely delicious! Even if it's with whole wheat flour!

I think it's such a great idea to blog your recipes as a way to pass them on to your kids. They're lucky to have a mom like you :)

Dominique said...

The cake looks heavenly.. 1st time I'm reading about using whole wheat flour for baking cakes. I normally use self-raising flour. Is there any difference?

Jenny said...

This looks scrumptious.

I would never think a whole wheat cake would get moist...This will be a fun one to try.

And when it is baking I will think of your lovely Mother taken from you too soon and the legacy you are creating from your own family for "someday".

You are really nifty, Joni.

Thank you for linking.

A+

Susan Anderson said...

Oh, I'd forgotten about that! My mom always used to put her extra frosting between graham crackers, too.

Interesting recipe! And made more so because it belonged to your mom...

=)

a moderate life said...

Hi Joni, I am visiting you from alphabet thursdays and I am now following your blog. I do hope you will stop by and visit me and possibly link up some of your lovely recipes to our tuesday hearth and soul recipe hop because I think you would fit right in with this great group of foodie bloggers! I love that you are keeping your momma alive with her cooking and sharing that with your kids. Food is love after all and I do the same thing every day as I feed my lovely family! All the best! Alex@amoderatelife

Judie said...

Your beautiful cake looks rich and luscious! Too bad I am off sweets for a while. I might save the recipe for later, though. Thanks!!

Annesphamily said...

This is a nice tribute to your mom! The cake looks absolutely nummy! I will take a chance and bake this soon.

Unknown said...

I LOVE recipes that have been handed down and this one is a must try.

Anonymous said...

What a great recipe..... I'm trying to bake using better ingredients than white flour and granulated sugar. I'm anxious to try this soon!

Anonymous said...

I agree. Anything with whole wheat and lot's of frosting is healthy. I'm making this!!
Traci

Donnie said...

What a lovely way to pay tribute to your Mom. This looks delicious and I enjoyed your sweet memories.

Amy said...

Wow, this looks and sounds amazing! I want a huge piece please!

I'm having the very first GIVEAWAY on my blog. Please stop by to submit an entry. Good luck.

http://utry.it/2011/01/happy-birthday-to-meand-very-first.html

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

OOH! It looks delicious! I know that it is extra special, since it is one of your mom's :o) My mom passed away in 2004 and how I miss her so! And I would love to just pick up the phone, hear her voice, talk to her about anything and everything...like some of her recipes, since most often it was a matter of a bit of this and that-no actual measurements...

Thank you for sharing your mom's cake recipe. (Cake is one of my favorite desserts!)
Blessings & Aloha!
...trying to visit thru Alphabe-Thursday before the work week starts! Hope you get a chance to stop by my place :o)

Katie @ This Chick Cooks said...

I can't wait to try this it looks fabulous and I am anxious to try whole wheat in a chocolate cake. Thanks for sharing your special recipe :)

Kitty Deschanel said...

A whole wheat chocolate cake? That means I can eat the entire thing without guilt, right? :)

I'm so happy that I found your blog. I really love it so far!

Engageya