This recipe is a Betty Crocker sheet, the type that came with flour or other items, and usually included a coupon at the bottom (where it says Cut Here). Sometimes the coupons were for silverware, dishes, or other home items. The recipe follows the “new” method for success that was devised somewhere mid 19th century, which has cooks sift all their dry ingredients together, then add the liquid ingredients. You can see the admonition “For Success Do These First” listing of basic baking tasks. Some of these we don’t really have to do in modern baking. Flour is so well processed these days you don’t have to sift it for clumps. Instead you may want to sift for a light and fluffy starting point. We also have the benefit of baking sprays to replace greasing & flouring a pan, although I don’t know if one is superior to the other. And of course, use whatever brand of flour you like. :-)

Lunch Box Chocolate Cake

For Success Do These First:

1. Have all ingredients room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350º (moderate)
3. Grease generously and dust with flour one oblong pan 9x13x2-in.
4. Measure level for accuracy with standard measuring cups and spoons.
5. Sift Gold Medal “Kitchen-tested” Flour, then spoon lightly into cup and level off. Do not pack.
6. If you live at an altitude over 3,000 ft, write Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc. Minneapolis I, Minn for recipe adjustments. Specify recipes wanted.

Just before starting to mix cake, pour 1/2 cup boiling water into 3 sq melted unsweetened chocolate (3 oz). Stir until a paste is formed.

Sift together in a bowl:

1 3/4 cups sifted Gold Medal “Kitchen-tested” Enriched Flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

Add:

1/3 cup high grade vegetable shortening

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Beat vigorously with spoon for 2 minutes by clock (about 150 strokes per minute). You may rest a moment when beating by hand; just count actual beating time or strokes. Or, mix with electric mixer on slow to medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl frequently.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup unbeaten eggs (2 medium)

Continue beating 1 more minute, scraping bowl frequently.

Add the warm chocolate paste

Beat 1 more minute. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes in moderate oven (350º). When cake is cool, frost top with Comfort Icing (recipe below).

Comfort Icing

Mix:

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp white corn syrup

1/4 cup water

Boil slowly without stirring until mixture spins a 6 to 8″ thread or 238º to 242º. (Keep pan covered first 3 minutes).

Beat meanwhile until stiff enough to hold a point 1 egg white

Pour hot syrup very slowly into stiffly beaten egg white beating constantly with rotary beater until mixture is too stiff to beat.

Add 1/2 tsp vanilla

Continue beating with a spoon until mixture is very fluffy and will hold its shape. (If icing does not set so that it will stay on a cake add 2 to 3 tbsp confectioners sugar – a tbsp at a time, until mixture is stiff enough.)

Makes icing for 9x13x2 in cake.