How many of you remember going to an elder’s house when you were young and seeing a big chocolate cake ready for the taking? It seems that there was always one at a church supper or a homecoming. Golden layers of delight all covered in a rich chocolate icing (nobody called it frosting then).




That was the inspiration for this cake and I combined several old traditions into one amazing cake all from scratch. The icing is the old fashioned kind that you may remember as boiled frosting- the golden layers are tradition but I made them smaller and more of them like the applesauce stack cake- Give it a try I bet you will love it.





Golden Layer Cake with Chocolate Icing



1 cup unsalted butter

5 eggs

1 cup whole milk

2 cups sugar

½ tsp kosher salt

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 Tbsp baking powder



Let butter, eggs, and milk stand at room temp.

Preheat oven 350

Grease and flour 8 or 9 inch cake pans (you will need 6 or 7 layers)

In large bowl beat butter on high for 30 seconds

Gradually add in sugar-beating well

Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition

Beat in salt and vanilla

Combine flour and baking powder

Alternately add with milk to butter mixture

Spread batter into prepared pans (approximately 1 cup per pan)

Bake 15 min or until cake pulls away from sides of pan

Cool in pans for 5 minutes

Remove from pan and cool completely



Chocolate Icing



5 cups of sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup butter

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

½ cup whole milk

2 tsp vanilla



Combine all ingredients and cook over med heat- bring to a boil

Boil gently for 4 minutes

Reduce heat and if you have a candy thermometer cook to 230 degrees about 15 – 20 minutes

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla

Allow to cool

Icing will be pourable



Assemble cake- pour icing between each layer letting excess drip over sides of each layer until completed.



This casserole was a taste sensation- my family loved it and I am going to put it on the Christmas brunch list- served with the peach salsa is perfect to drizzle on each bite.



Sausage, egg, cheese and grit casserole



1 cup quick cook grits

4 cups water

3 eggs

1 pound of sausage cooked and drained

1 red pepper

1 med onion

2 cups cheddar cheese

½ tsp salt



Cook sausage and drain- set aside

Cook grits in water about 5 minutes

Sauté pepper and onions until tender

Combine sausage, peppers, and onions then add to grit mixture

Beat eggs and add in stir to combine

Stir in 1 cup of cheese



Pour into greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese- bake for 30 minutes 350 – 400 or until middle is set

Allow to set for 10 minutes



Peach Salsa



4 ripe peaches

1 clove garlic

½ fresh lime squeezed

Cilantro (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Cumin (1/2 tsp)

Combine and allow to chill

Serve with casserole