Frank’s Chocolate Cinnamon Cake
- Details
Need a chocolate fix? If you can’t decide between brownies, cake or fudge- make Frank’s Chocolate Cinnamon Cake and enjoy all three. The cake is dense and moist like a brownie, the frosting is like fudge, and the two combine to create the ultimate chocolate cake. Thanks, Frank!
Frank’s Chocolate Cinnamon Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons Valrhona cocoa
- ½ cup shortening or coconut oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour, unbleached white or gluten free
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons Vietnamese cassia
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the Frosting
- 1 stick butter
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 4 tablespoons Valrhona cocoa
- 1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted and divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped ginger (optional)
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Melt butter in water then add cocoa and Crisco. Bring to boil, stirring well to incorporate the cocoa. Remove from heat.
- Mix the sugar and flour together in large bowl, and add the cocoa mixture. Stir well.
- Add the buttermilk, soda and cinnamon, stir to combine.
- Add the vanilla and eggs, stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
For the Frosting
- Begin making the frosting about five minutes before the cake is done.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, milk and cocoa, and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly until combined.
- Remove from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and ½ cup of the nuts.
- Stir briskly, mixing well, and spread on cake while both are still hot.
- Sprinkle the remaining nuts, chopped ginger and pomegranate seeds on top.
Notes
The frosting comes out very thick and hardens quickly so don't make ahead!
If using pomegranate seeds as a topping, wait for the frosting to cool slightly on the cake before adding or the seeds will release their juice. Not an entirely bad thing to have little pools of pomegranate syrup on your cake....
1 Comment
Leave a Comment
Japanese Chicken Curry
For our final meeting of the year, the World Spice Cookbook Club is taking on recipes from The Flavour Principle: Enticing Your Senses With Food And Drink. This cookbook, containing recipes from around the world, focuses …
Quatre Epices
Despite it’s name, which means “four spices” in French, this blend never seems to keep strict count on the number of its ingredients. Quatre epices can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Often …
Harissa and Vegetable Couscous
This recipe has been a long time coming. Hardly anyone who comes in to the shop — spice masters and novices alike — can pass over the North African section without some long, lingering sniffs. …
Chow Fun – lemongrass sausage, pea vines, mint
Our September Cookbook Club selection is from James Beard Best Chef-nominee Rachel Yang, who with her husband, Seif Chirchi, owns three restaurants in Seattle (Joule, Trove, and Revel) and one in Portland (Revelry). My Rice …
Poudre Forte
Poudre Forte is a wonderful spice mix that was used throughout medieval Europe and is still used today by culinary recreationists. The actual components may vary, but poudre forte, or “strong powder,” is commonly based on …
Hey Amanda,
Lovely recipe. I guess Frank was a real factor for the making of the Chocolate Cinnamon Cake. ‘The frosting comes out very thick and hardens quickly so don’t make ahead!’ – Great advice. Much appreciated.
Regards,
Leila