BEAT THE HEAT: 7-Up Chocolate Cake

This "Beat the Heat! fresh up"with Seven-Up!" advertisement from July 5, 1948  "family days at the Beach are always fun" is on point for the brutal heat wave we're having! In the ad, Mom packs the picnic basket; Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I posted 'soda' Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon several years ago, but this is an easy 'from scratch" recipe. The 7-Up is the leavening agent. Camping or going to the Beach? This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate, chopped)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour, and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

7-Up CHOCOLATE CAKE: "Fresh up with Seven-Up!" Retro Ad and Recipe

This Beat the Heat! "fresh up"with Seven-Up!" Ad from July 5, 1948! family days at the Beach is perfect for Summer! Mom packs the picnic basket; Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I posted 'soda' Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon several years ago, but this is an easy 'from scratch" recipe. The 7-Up is the leavening agent.Camping or going to the Beach? This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate, chopped)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour, and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

7-UP BEAT THE HEAT CHOCOLATE CAKE

It's pretty warm today, so why not make Beat the Heat 7 Up Chocolate Cake? This Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up Ad came out on July 5, 1948! The ad is all about family days at the Beach! Mom packs the picnic basket; Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach -- with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat this weekend! This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

BEAT THE HEAT 7-UP CHOCOLATE CAKE: Retro Ad & Recipe

Here's a great recipe for Beat the Heat 7 Up Chocolate Cake for the Holiday Weekend! This Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! ad on July 5, 1948! family days at the Beach is perfect! Mom packs the picnic basket; Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat this holiday weekend! This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

BEAT THE HEAT 7-UP CHOCOLATE CAKE: Retro Ad & Recipe

It's a scorcher out there this weekend. This Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! Ad from July 5, 1948! family days at the Beach is perfect! Mom packs the picnic basket; Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very Retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I posted 7-Up Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon several years ago, but this is an easy 'from scratch" recipe. As I mentioned, the 7-Up is the leavening agent. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat this holiday weekend! This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

BEAT THE HEAT! FRESH UP WITH 7-UP (Chocolate Cake!)

Love this Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! Ad from July 5, 1948! Family days at the Beach. Mom packs the picnic basket" Dad drives; and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I've posted 7-Up Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon several years ago, but this is an easy 'from scratch" recipe. As I mentioned, the 7-Up is the leavening agent. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat this holiday weekend! This cake travels well!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

Mad Men Series Finale Blogtail Party: Retro Chocolate Coca Cola Cakes

Tonight Mad Men starts the final series and to enhance your experience, The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook is holding a blogtail party with bloggers all over the universe posting recipes, reviews, and more. The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook by Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin is a great addition to my Theme Cookbook Shelf! There are definitely chocolate recipes, but there are also great cocktail (no surprise there), appetizer, main dish, and dessert recipes that are mentioned in the show.

Want to win a copy of The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook? Post a comment about your favorite "Mad Men" retro recipe!

Want to join the party? Go here for  Food, cocktails and lifestyle bloggers worldwide.

Over the many seasons of the show, I've posted 'retro' recipes that Betty or any number of the 'women' on the show might have made. Here are two of my favorite chocolate cakes from the 60s.

The first recipe is for a Coca Cola Chocolate Cake. If you'll remember, Betty was a former model, and she returned to her 'career' to shoot a Coca Cola ad (see below). There are many versions of this Coca Cola Chocolate Cake, and if you're a Pepsi fan, you can always substitute Pepsi in the recipe. See the Retro Pepsi Ad below. Is that Don Draper in the Ad? Was it his account?

The second recipe is for 7-Up Chocolate Cake that's made from a mix. Mixes were new and 'time-saving' in the 50s and 60s. You'll love the instructions. They're pretty retro, too. I couldn't resist, though, posting three different icing recipes (and techniques). Take your pick.

So, get out your 'Pyrex' dish and bake a Retro Chocolate Cake!

COCA-COLA CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients
2 cups unsifted cake flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Sift together flour and sugar. Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Add to flour and sugar mixture. Stir to blend. Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, salt and vanilla. Stir with spoon until well blended. Pour into greased and floured oblong pan (Pyrex dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Batter will be thin. Ice while hot.

COCA-COLA ICING

1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp Coca-Cola
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp cocoa

Heat to boiling point--butter, cocoa and Cola-Cola. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; stir to blend. Using a fork, make holes in hot cake and pour hot icing over it.

BROILED PEANUT BUTTER ICING

6 Tbsp Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar; Dark, packed
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Milk
2/3 cup Peanuts; chopped

Cream Butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add milk and stir well. Add nuts. Spread over warm cake. Place iced cake under broiler about 4-inches from heat source. Broil just a few seconds, or until topping starts to bubble. DO NOT scorch! Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

***

Chocolate 7-Up Cake is also perfect for tonight's party! This Chocolate 7-Up Cake recipe uses Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix and 7-Up, and the Dobash Frosting uses Ghirardelli cocoa, one of my favorites. 7-Up Cakes are light and airy.

CHOCOLATE 7-UP CAKE

Cake Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines Devil Food cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 can 7-Up

Directions
Combine above and beat for 4 minutes with electric mixer.
Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Pour in batter.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

Are you a Dr. Pepper Fan? Read this post on Dr. Pepper and a Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake.

http://www.unofficialmadmencookbook.com/MadMenFinaleParty.htm

BEAT THE HEAT! FRESH UP WITH 7-Up (Chocolate Cake!)

Love this Beat the Heat! "fresh up" with Seven-Up! Great Ad from July 5, 1948! Family days at the Beach. Mom packs the picnic basket, Dad drives, and the kids fill the cooler with 7-Up. Seems like a lot of 7-Up from the photo. But they all look like they're having fun at the Beach--with 7-Up.

Another way of enjoying 7-Up, a very retro carbonated beverage, is to use it as a leavening agent in a chocolate bundt cake. I've posted 7-Up Chocolate Cake recipes for my Mad Men Marathon, but this is a 'from scratch" easy recipe. I usuallAs I mentioned, the 7-Up is the leavening agent. Enjoy! Try to beat the heat!

7-Up Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup 7-Up
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or a cup of dark chocolate broken into chunks)
 
Directions
Cream butter.
Add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beating well after each one.
Stir in salt, flour and cocoa. Blend thoroughly.
Add 7-UP.
Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan for 60 minutes (or until tester comes clean).
Cool on wire rack. 

Optional: Glaze when cooled with dark chocolate Dobash Frosting. 

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

MAD MEN FINALE PARTY: Retro Chocolate Desserts

The finale for Mad Men is tonight. Wasn't this a short season? Love the show, but after waiting for over a year and a half for Season 5, I wish there were more episodes.

Anyway, I want to make something special for tonight's finale. I've posted several different recipes for Retro Chocolate Cakes and Desserts that fit the period (see links below). These are all great mid-century Mad Men mid-century chocolate recipes. Definitely try some for your Mad Men Party.

I have one more addition to the list. Refrigerator cookies were very, very mid-century. My mother loved to make pinwheel cookies, and we loved to eat them. Very mid-century! Love the combination and look of Pinwheel Cookies. Great Mad Men dessert--Spiraling Down. Recipe below. You can easily bake a batch for tonight's viewing!

Retro Chocolate Desserts

Chocolate Coca Cola Cake (Pepsi can be substituted)

Chocolate 7-Up Cake

Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake

Cool Whip & Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

Chocolate Fondue

PINWHEEL COOKIES

My mother made these for us during the early Mad Men years, and they were my favorite of all the cookies she made--maybe because of the way they looked, as much as the taste. Refrigerator (icebox) cookies are simple to make. The recipe is from the Settlement Cookbook, my mother's 'other' Bible.

"Refrigerator or icebox cookies are among the quickest to make; the dough is molded into oblongs or uniform rolls, and thoroughly chilled. The roll is then sliced with a gently sawing motion that does not distort the shape. Refrigerator cookie dough keeps well, and the cookies may be sliced and baked in small quantities, as needed."

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sweet sugar
1 egg yolk
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 square unsweetened chocolate (I'm sure my Mother used Baker's), melted

Directions
Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolk and beat well.
Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture with milk and vanilla.
Divide dough in half.
Add chocolate to one part.
Chill.
Pat each into a thin, oblong sheet on waxed paper.
Place chocolate dough over white dough and roll tightly.
Chill until firm.
Slice thin.
Bake on greased cookie sheet in a moderately hot oven (375 F) for 10 minutes.

Mad Men Retro Chocolate Cakes

Yes, Mad Men, one of my favorite shows, returns to the small screen Sunday night for the two hour premiere of Season 5. Over the last few seasons of the show, I've posted 'retro' recipes that Betty or any number of the 'women' on the show might have used. Here are two of my favorite chocolate cakes from the 60s.

The first recipe is for a Coca Cola Chocolate Cake. If you'll remember, Betty was a former model, and she returned to her 'career' to shoot a Coca Cola ad (see below). There are many versions of this Coca Cola Chocolate Cake, and if you're a Pepsi fan, you can always substitute Pepsi in the recipe. See the Retro Pepsi Ad below. Is that Don Draper in the Ad? Was it his account?

The second recipe is for 7-Up Chocolate Cake that's made from a mix. Mixes were new and 'time-saving' in the 50s and 60s. You'll love the instructions. They're pretty retro, too. I couldn't resist, though, posting three different icing recipes (and techniques). Take your pick.

So, get out your 'Pyrex' dish and bake a Retro Chocolate Cake!

COCA-COLA CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients
2 cups unsifted cake flour
2 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions
Sift together the flour and sugar. Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Add to flour and sugar mixture. Stir to blend. Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, salt and vanilla. Stir with spoon until well blended. Pour into greased and floured oblong pan (Pyrex dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Batter will be thin. Ice while hot.

COCA-COLA ICING

1/2 cup butter
6 tbsp. Coca-Cola
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. cocoa

Heat to boiling point--butter, cocoa and Cola-Cola. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; stir to blend. Using a fork, make holes in hot cake and pour hot icing over it.

BROILED PEANUT BUTTER ICING

6 Tbsp Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar; Dark, Packed
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Milk
2/3 cup Peanuts; Chopped

Cream Butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add milk and stir well. Add nuts. Spread over warm cake. Place iced cake under broiler about 4-inches from heat source. Broil just a few seconds, or until topping starts to bubble. DO NOT scorch! Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

***

Chocolate 7-Up Cake would have been perfect for that party!  This Chocolate 7-Up Cake recipe uses Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix and 7-Up, and the Dobash Frosting uses Ghirardelli cocoa, one of my favorites. 7-Up Cakes are light and airy.

CHOCOLATE 7-UP CAKE

Cake Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines Devil Food cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 can 7-Up

Directions
Combine above and beat for 4 minutes with electric mixer.
Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Pour in batter.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Dobash Frosting
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa
pinch of salt

Combine all in saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup water to make a paste. Stir into cocoa mixture with whisk over heat until it thickens. Pour while hot over cake and spread.

Are you a Dr. Pepper Fan? Read this post on Dr. Pepper and a Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake.