Chocolate Full Moon Cake

1/8/12, 5:05 am: Berkeley, CA

Another fabulous Full Moon this morning. I know the moon comes out at night, but I'm an early riser, and there's nothing quite like seeing the Full Moon and its shimmering reflection on San Francisco Bay. I truly live in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Having posted recipes for Full Moon Brownies and Full Moon Cocktails, I thought I'd post a recipe for a simple Chocolate Full Moon Cake. This is a round cake with a thin spreadable icing that actually makes 'craters' as you pour it on top.  

Perfect for the Full Moon!

CHOCOLATE FULL MOON CAKE

Ingredients
2/3 cup Sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Magagascar vanilla extract

Lemon Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar  (powdered sugar)
2 ounces lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and line with parchment paper one 8 inch round cake pan.
Mix together sugar and eggs until dissolved. Stir in melted butter.
In separate bowl, slowly add hot water to cocoa and mix until smooth, dissolving cocoa completely.
In third bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Blend in vanilla. Pour batter into 8 inch round pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Let cake cool then ice with Lemon Moon Icing.

Icing: 
Combine confectioner's sugar with enough lemon juice to make icing spreadable without being runny or stiff (about 1/4 cup). Stir in grated zest.
Spread (or pour if you want lots of lunar irregularities!) icing thinly over top of cake.

Get out there and Howl at the Full Moon!