Brown Velvet Cake & Icing

Brown Velvet Cake

I saw this recipe in a 1952 cookbook from the “Ladies of the three Methodist churches on Dunkinsville (Ohio) charge – Dunkinsville, Jacksonville and Cedar Mills” – my father's first pastorate while he was attending college. When I made the cake I made a few changes to make it simpler. There was a butterscotch icing recipe that accompanied this recipe, but I changed it, too. I added a little cocoa, decreased the sugar (hard to believe considering the amount of sugar in this cake & icing), used butter instead of shortening - and changed the name to “Brown Velvet Icing” The cake is very good – but very sweet.

2 cups brown sugar

½ cup sour cream

2 egg yolks

4 Tablespoons hot water

2 ¼ cups cake flour

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup shortening

½ cup water

5 teaspoons cocoa

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

2 egg whites

Cream together the brown sugar and shortening. Add the sour cream and ½ cup water and mix well. Add 2 well beaten egg yolks. Combine cocoa with the hot water to make a paste and add. Mix together flour, salt and soda and combine with the other ingredients. Last, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites to which vanilla has been added. Pour into 2 layer pans and bake 30 minutes at 350 degree oven. Be careful not to overcook.

Brown Velvet Icing

2 cups brown sugar

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

Combine brown sugar, cocoa, shortening, butter and salt in pan; bring to a boil; add milk and boil 3 minutes. Cool and add powdered sugar and beat until thick.