December 16, 2011

The Gift of Yummy

Earlier this month I shared my great-grandmother's amazing banana bread recipe. Today, I want to share another yummy recipe from my mother, a 16 layer cake.

I've yet to try this recipe without Mom around, because it requires both skill and patience. When it comes to cooking, I'm a devoted recipe follower. I measure and re-measure, check and recheck. My mom is a "throw it in" lady. Sometimes trying to get a recipe out of her is madness. I have to watch, take careful notes, and try to ascertain what a "dollop" is.

This cake is delicious, gorgeous, and most importantly... equal parts cake and icing. Once you try it, you won't go back to regular cake. It's addictive.



Mom has gotten as many as 16 layers. I feel happy to get 12 to 13. My family is evenly split between chocolate and vanilla lovers, so we always have what I affectionately call the Jekyll and Hyde version to make everyone happy.

Since I've only made this with Mom, it's as much about the memories as the cake.

16 layer Cake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Cake Mix
6 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Grease and flour cake pans. Use only enough batter, about 1/4 cup, to spread across pan. It will barely cover it!

Bake cake layers approximately 3 minutes. You want them to be shiny and not brown around the edges. Invert layers immediately onto wax paper. Continue baking layers until batter is used. you should get 14-16 layers from one box of cake mix.

Place cake layer on plate and spread approximately 1 tbsp of icing on a layer (you want it to be a thin coating), keep repeating until last layer is used. Use rest of icing to ice the sides and top of the cake.

Bonus: Mom's Icing
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
1 box confectionery sugar, sifted
6 tbsp milk (scant more if icing becomes too dry)
sprinkle of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in a glass bowl and microwave for two minutes. Stir.

If too thick, thin it with a bit more milk. Mom usually uses two batches of this icing recipe to ice her cake. I use store bought icing, so I'm fine. ;-)

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

10 comments:

Larissa T. said...

That looks completely amazing! My mouth watered. I love the half chocolate half vanilla look too!
I will follow this recipe to the 'T (which is what I do, unlike my mother, who also likes to dabble with adding this or taking that out, and simply putting everything together. I say that's talent.)

Dana & Keith Newbrough said...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! And I am not just biased because she is my mother, too. It is hands-down the best cake EVER! However, skip the duo white and chocolate icing - the chocolate is the best and it is perfect just simply chocolate. :)

Tia Bach said...

Larissa, I won't argue. My mom is quite talented. ;-) Hope you make and enjoy this cake.

Dana, Wish you were here to make it with us.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Holidays!

Love In the Language of Yarn and Education said...

Definately one to try! thanks for sharing. I'm usually a throw it all together baker but for the first time i'll measure :)

lisa from insignificant at best said...

Oh wow that looks amazing and complicated! I'm not sure I'm brave enough to give it a try, but I might just have to talk myself into it cuz it looks amazing!

Unknown said...

Totally agree with your headline. :-)

Wonder if my daughter would have the patience to make this with me. Um...

Tia Bach said...

Dianne, Lisa, and Jackie: Good luck. Even if it's messy or leaning a little (and mine are usually both), it's wonderful. And you will have a ball making it, especially with a partner.

Happy Holidays! Thanks for stopping by!

Mommy of 5 said...

Cool Cake! Looks good and very impressive.

Jaleh D said...

Oh that looks delicious! I'm not patient enough to try it, but I can still contemplate it.

Tia Bach said...

Mommy of 5 and Jaleh - Start with less layers and work your way up. This weekend we only did six thicker layers... still awesome! Have fun trying. In the end, no matter what, you have cake. Not a bad day's work. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by!