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Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting

This Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is a vintage recipe that makes a soft, moist and delicious chocolate cake.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers vintage recipes. I’ve revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible vintage chocolate frosting the same.

The original recipe always resulted in a dry, crumbly cake and so it stopped appearing at birthdays and other family gatherings.

I knew it was a recipe that I could salvage after looking at it and so I got to work with testing and reworking the original recipe.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

The original recipe called for three different ingredients that were causing problems: butter, bakers chocolate and water.

I kept half the butter and then replaced the rest with vegetable oil to keep the flavour of butter but add moisture to the cake. Oil sticks to the flour better than butter and that results in a more moist cake.

Bakers chocolate can sometimes cause a cake to get dry and crumbly too. It is fine for cakes that are served warm like molten lava cakes but in a cake like this it is better to use cocoa powder.

I also switched up the water with brewed coffee to add a more rich flavour to the cake.

Read on for the full Chocolate Cake Recipe and all my tips and tricks to make the best ever chocolate cake!

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers heirloom recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.
This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

How to Store Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

This cake should be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Because of the egg in the frosting, the cake should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

When chilled, the cake is good for 3-4 days, although there is no chance it will go uneaten that long!

You can also freeze the cake in an airtight container for 2-3 months and thaw out in the fridge overnight.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

About the Ingredients for Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Butter & Oil – I am using a mixture of butter and oil here to get both amazing flavour and perfect moisture. You can go all one way or the other but the results won’t be as good.

Sugar – Use plain old granulated sugar here or your favourite sugar replacement if you want to go sugar free.

Eggs – As always when baking, make sure your eggs are at room temperature before starting.

Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavour, but artificial is just fine too.

Flour – The recipe calls for cake flour. If all you have is all-purpose flour, that is fine. Swap out 2 TBSP of the flour for cornstarch and you are set to go. Spoon and level the flour when measuring it, otherwise you’ll wind up with a dense cake.

Baking soda – Leavens the bread, make sure it is still active so your cake rises perfectly.

Salt – Helps to balance all the flavours and make em shine. Skip if opting to use salted butter.

Cocoa powder – Make sure you are using unsweetened cocoa powder here and NOT hot chocolate mix. They are not the same thing.

Brewed Coffee – You can use milk or water here instead, but trust me, hot brewed coffee gives this chocolate cake a wonderfully rich chocolate flavour. Brew the coffee just before you need it.

Milk – Use your favourite milk here. Whole milk is best for cake, but even a dairy substitute like almond milk is fine.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

About the Ingredients for the Vintage Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate – You will want to use Unsweetened Bakers chocolate here so that you end up with just perfectly sweet, rich chocolate flavour. Do not swap with cocoa powder.

Butter – You want really soft butter that has not melted so you get a nice smooth frosting. I use salted butter for frosting.

Powdered Sugar – You may call it Icing sugar or confectioners sugar – just measure carefully so it doesn’t end up too sweet.

Hot Water – I usually boil a little water for this.

Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavour, but artificial is just fine too.

Egg – Yes, the egg goes uncooked in this recipe, as it does in many of the vintage recipes I grew up with. If you are concerned about food safety, you can pasteurize your eggs at home, or use boxed eggs. The egg makes this frosting super rich and fluffy, so don’t skip it.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

Looking for more Tasty Chocolate Dessert Recipes?

You will love these other chocolate recipes too!

These Fudgy Avocado Brownies with Avocado Frosting are an incredible gluten-free brownie, that is keto friendly too.

Rolo Rocky Road is an easy no-bake chocolate treat packed with marshmallows, graham crackers and loads of chocolate caramel Rolos.

These Chocolate Pots de Crème are a truly decadent dessert. Chocolate, egg yolks, and just the right amount of heavy cream result in a rich chocolate custard perfect for serving guests or simply celebrating with a special someone.

This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

How to Make Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Butter
1 3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 1/2 Cups Cake Flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 Cup Cocoa powder
1 Cup Brewed Coffee
1/2 Cup Milk

Frosting:

2 1/2 oz Unsweetened bakers chocolate
1/3 Cup Butter, Room temperature
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp Hot Water
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Cream together butter, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl.

Alternatively mix in the dry ingredients and the coffee a little at a time into the creamed ingredients until well combined.

Mix in the milk until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place the chocolate in in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and allow to cool down to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, blend in powdered sugar and water with chocolate.

Beat in egg then butter and vanilla.

Place bowl in ice water and beat frosting until stiff. Use frosting immediately.

Level both cakes and place one cake on a plate or cake pedestal.

With a knife or spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top and spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

If you intend to pipe frosting onto the cake you will then need to make a second batch of frosting, one will not be enough.

Granny Florence's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting
Yield: 8 people

Granny Florence's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1/3 Cup Butter
  • 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 1/2 Cups Cake Flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 Cup Cocoa powder
  • 1 Cup brewed Coffee
  • 1/2 Cup Milk

Frosting:

  • 2 1/2 oz Unsweetened bakers chocolate
  • 1/3 Cup Butter, , Room temperature
  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Hot Water
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 Egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees celcius, and line two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. Cream together butter, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
  3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl.
  4. Alternatively mix in the dry ingredients and the coffee a little at a time into the creamed ingredients until well combined.
  5. Mix in the milk until the batter is smooth.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  7. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
  8. Place the chocolate in in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and allow to cool down to room temperature.
  9. In a mixing bowl, blend in powdered sugar and water with chocolate.
  10. Beat in egg then butter and vanilla.
  11. Place bowl in ice water and beat frosting until stiff. Use frosting immediately.
  12. Level both cakes and place one cake on a plate or cake pedestal.
  13. With a knife or spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top and spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
  14. If you intend to pipe frosting onto the cake you will then need to make a second batch of frosting, one will not be enough.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

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This recipe for Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fortune Frosting is one of my Grandmothers recipes. I've revamped it to make it moist and delicious, keeping the incredible frosting the same.

L Veldhuis

Saturday 4th of May 2019

Hi, I’ve used a couple recipes from you before and they worked out really well, but I was totally confused with this one when oil appeared in the ingredients but not in the instructions 😮 the panic! Do i leave it out? No, then it could be too dry, but when do I add it? I read it all over again and found the substitute part, but frankly, for someone like me, who doesn’t exactly excel in the kitchen, it was confusing. Maybe you could clarify that step? Because as I said, I find your site fantastic and it would be a shame to leave the recipe confusing. Then again, I see no one else commented on such a problem ... best regards L veldhuis

Miriam

Friday 21st of April 2017

This looks beautiful! Do you think I could swap coconut oil for the butter to make it non-dairy?

Toni | Boulder Locavore

Friday 21st of April 2017

Oh wow! This cake is absolutely gorgeous!! I will definitely try this!

Tara

Friday 21st of April 2017

Your cake looks deliciously moist. I'll have to pick up some Coconut Sugar and Smart Sweetener Blend.

Ann Bacciaglia

Thursday 20th of April 2017

This cake looks amazing. I would love to try to make one this weekend. I will have to get the ingredients I need tomorrow.

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