"Grandma's Chocolate Cake"

There was always dessert in our house. Dad had a sweet tooth and Mom loved to bake. Her cakes were made from scratch. She might start with a basic recipe then add her own touches. She listened to KMA every morning and wrote down Florence Falk's Recipe of the Day. Even when she lived alone she always baked cookies to have on hand if someone stopped in.

When it was our birthday, we got to choose what kind of cake we wanted. Ronald always wanted chocolate. Betty liked chocolate, too, but would also choose other flavors. I NEVER chose chocolate. I did not care for chocolate. I would choose white or yellow or butterscotch or spice; anything but chocolate. I don't know what Leslie's favourite was - probably chocolate.

When the kids and I moved back to SW Iowa after Dad died in '78, we spent a lot of time at Mom's and at Grandma Ridnour's. Grandma was in her 80's then and still living alone on the farm. Anytime she needed help doing something we went to help if we could.

Where my Mom kept cookies on hand, Grandma kept chocolate cake on hand. Not just any chocolate cake - a very moist, flat chocolate cake. It was the only chocolate cake I ever ate that I truly liked. She made it because it was so fast and easy. She said she could make it, bake it and frost it in a half hour. Even though I did and still do call it "Grandma's Chocolate Cake", I never got her recipe for it.

By searching through some cookbooks and online I have found a recipe that I think is near to what she made. It is called "Texas Sheet Cake". Directions are: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease rectangular 13x9x2" baking pan. In large bowl mix together 2 C Sugar and 2 C Flour. In a saucepan, combine 1 Stick Margarine, 1 C Water, 1 C Oil and 4 T Cocoa. Bring to a boil and mix well. Pour over the flour/sugar mixture and mix well. To this batter, add 1/2 C Buttermilk, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Vanilla, 1 tsp Cinnamon and 2 Eggs. Mix well; pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and pour frosting on the cake immediately while the cake is still hot.

Frosting: In saucepan, combine 1 Stick Margarine and 6 T Milk. Heat gently until margarine is melted. Add 4 T Cocoa, 1 Box Confectioners Sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla and 1 C Chopped Nuts if desired.

I think Grandma sometimes substituted a cup of strong, cold coffee for the cup of water or perhaps half coffee and half water, which may be one of the reasons I liked her chocolate cake.

The first time Grandma offered this cake after we had done some little chore for her, I declined, politely stating that I didn't care for chocolate cake. If you remember Grandma, you can hear her commanding: "Oh, just try some!" After that, I always ate a piece of cake with her.