Chocolate Birthday Cake

This cake recipe comes with a story. 

A long time ago when McKay and I were dating, I celebrated my 19th birthday. McKay decided to surprise me with a chocolate birthday cake. The recipe came from his Japan Fukuoka Mission cook book. He baked the cake and then put some candles on top in the shape of the Japanese kanji symbol that stands for love. (I know, very romantic!)  He left it outside my Campus Plaza apartment door on his way to work at 8:00 am. I was happily sleeping the morning away (my classes didn't start until noon) and the cake sat outside my door until I went to class. I am very lucky that it didn't get taken and I got to enjoy it. I think he had to explain the kanji candles to me later.  I don't think that he has missed making this cake for my birthday since that time (32 years). It is always fantastic! Now this cake is requested by quite a few of the family members for their birthdays and McKay is usually the one who makes it.


Crazy Cake
from McKay S Matthews

2 cups sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. vinegar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups cold water
3/4 cup oil


Mix the dry ingredients together and add the others. Stir well with a rice spatula. Bake in 9 x 12 pan at 350° for 25 – 30 min.

That is the “official instructions” from the cookbook. Here is what he really does.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add the others. Mix with mixer until well blended. (We don’t have a rice spatula) Line bottom of two 9” round pans with parchment paper. Trace the pan with pencil on the paper, then cut out. Fill each pan with half the batter. Cook at 350° for 25 – 30 minutes. To test for doneness, insert toothpick in center of cake, if it comes out clean it is done. Or gently touch center of cake, if it bounces back it is done, if it leaves an indent, cook for a few more minutes.

After removing from oven, let cake cool for 10 minutes in pan, then move to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Trace pan size

Cut out and line pan

Cool in pan 10 minutes, then move to racks

This is our current favorite chocolate frosting recipe:

Chocolate Frosting

From Esther Prestwich

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup butter (softened)

½ cup cocoa

¼ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix together with mixer until smooth. Add a little more milk if the frosting is too stiff to spread easily.

Here is another yummy frosting for this cake.

Coconut Frosting

6 oz. canned milk (3/4 cup)

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup butter

1 slightly beaten egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cup coconut

½ cup chopped nuts (pecans are my favorite)

In saucepan combine milk, sugar, butter and egg. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Let cool a little before using.