THE ORIGINAL GERMAN SWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE: National German Chocolate Cake Day!

Today is National German Chocolate Cake Day. Here's a wonderful Vintage Ad with Recipe from Baker's Chocolate for German Sweet Chocolate Cake, using Baker's German Chocolate. (It also appeared in theBaker's Cookbook) This is an easy delicious cake with a wonderful Coconut-Pecan Frosting. Let me know what you think! 

And, it may sound odd that's there's an American National Holiday for German Chocolate Cake, but German Chocolate Cake is not German. German Chocolate Cake is an American creation that contains the key ingredients of sweet baking chocolate, coconut, and pecans.

In 1852, Sam German created a dark baking chocolate bar for Baker's Chocolate Company, and in his honor, the company named it "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate."

Hower, the story goes that the first published recipe for German's Chocolate Cake showed up in a Dallas newspaper in 1957 and supposedly came from a Texas homemaker. The cake quickly gained in popularity and the recipe together with photos spread all over the country. America fell in love with German Chocolate Cake, and food editors were swamped with requests for information on where to buy the chocolate. In one year, there was a 73% sales jump in German's Baker Sweet Chocolate sales (then owned by General Mills).  

However, the cake most likely didn't originate from the Dallas housewife. Buttermilk chocolate cakes were popular in the South for over 70 years, and pecans were plentiful, also, to make the frosting. 

FYI: German's Chocolate is similar to a milk chocolate and sweeter than regular baking chocolate.

MIDWINTER CARNIVAL MARBLE CAKE: Vintage Ad with Recipe

Here's a cake that's perfect for this time of year. It's totally Vintage, too. Not that many people celebrate Midwinter Carnival any more, but they did when this advertisement was created. This Vintage Ad with Recipe is from Betty Crocker with a nod to Gold Medal Flour (General Mills). This Midwinter Carnival Marble Cake uses Betty Crocker's "Double-Quick new method!"

"Betty Crocker celebrates her Silver Anniversary and the return of Gold Medal Flour with this country-wide Midwinter Carnival"

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COCA COLA CHRISTMAS CAKE

Happy Holidays! I love this recipe for Double Chocolate Coca Cola Christmas Cake. It's really good and easy. So Retro to use Coca Cola, but obviously Santa likes it! Honestly, it tastes great! Santa and I love it.

MARSHMALLOW FUDGE CAKE: Vintage Ad with Recipe "Just in time for Thanksgiving"

I love Vintage Ads with recipes. This Vintage advertisement is from Good Housekeeping November 1926. The recipe for Campfire Fudge Cake is still perfect 100+ years later for Thanksgiving 2025. 

I've always loved the Campfire Brand! So here are three recipes for your holiday! Marshmallow Fudge Cake, Campfire Apple Mallows, and Sweet Potatoes Southern. Of course the Marshmallow Fudge Cake is the one I'm making! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

SWEET STORY CAKE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: Vintage Ad with Recipe

Here's a great 1948 Vintage Spry Ad for a "Sweet Story Cake" It's perfect for Valentine's Day! "Every Cake Rates a Kiss"   FYI: Spry was similar to Crisco.

SWEET STORY CAKE

Here's the original recipe on the Ad

Ingredients

• For Cake:
• 2½ cups sifted cake flour
• 1½ cups of sugar
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup shortening
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 4 egg whites, unbeaten
• 18 maraschino cherries, well drained and finely chopped
• ½ cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• 
  
• For Frosting: (I doubled this)
• 2 Tablespoons shortening
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
• 9 Tablespoons scalded cream
• Red or pink food coloring

Directions

For Cake:

1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Drop in shortening. Combine milk and maraschino cherry juice and add ¾ cup of this liquid. Add flavoring extracts and mix with mixer on low for 2 minutes (100 strokes by hand).
2. Add remaining liquid and egg whites and beat for another 2 minutes. Fold in cherries and nuts. Bake in two 9-inch pans or two heart-shaped pans at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. (If you pour all the batter in one pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes)
3. When cool, cut layers with heart shaped pattern, if you didn't use a heart-shaped pan. Spread with frosting, and outline a short Valentine's message with a toothpick and fill in letters and outline of cake with sugar pearls. 
4. For Frosting:
5. Combine shortening, butter, flavorings and salt and blend well. Beat in ½ cup sugar. Add hot cream alternating with remaining sugar, beating well after each addition. Add only enough cream to make a nice spreading consistency. Add a few drops of red or pink food coloring to tint frosting a delicate pink before spreading on cake.

VETERANS DAY TOLLHOUSE COOKIES: Vintage Ad with Recipe!

This Vintage Nestle Ad for Toll House Cookies from Good Housekeeping 1943 seems appropriate for Veterans Day. Toll House Cookies: "Make up a batch of those golden-brown, crunchy Toll House Cookie and send to that soldier boy of yours.' These are still terrific cookies for the Veteran in your life, as well as our men and women still in in service. Recipe below.

HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE BUTTER COOKIES: Retro Ad with Recipe

Just a few more days to bake! Here's a great Retro Ad with Recipe for Holiday Chocolate Butter Cookies!!

For me, cookies are usually all about butter. If you're baking this holiday season, you'll want to choose the very best butter for all your cookies, but especially for your butter cookies. I always use unsalted butter. 

Here's a great easy Retro Ad with Recipe for Holiday Chocolate Butter Cookies from Land O Lakes. This is a very versatile chocolate cookie recipe. Save it to use year-round. New Year's Eve? 

CHOCOLATE APPLE BROWN BETTY: Apple Brown Betty Day!

Now that it's Fall, it's time for Apple Brown Betty, one of my favorite classic desserts. A Brown Betty is a traditional American dessert made from fruit and sweetened crumbs. Similar to a cobbler or apple crisp, the fruit is baked, and, in this case, the sweetened crumbs are placed in layers between the fruit. Since this is a chocolate blog, I'm adding chocolate, of course. So celebrate National Apple Brown Betty Day today with this Chocolate Apple Brown Betty!

CHOCOLATE APPLE BROWN BETTY

Ingredients
2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and chopped (roughly)
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp golden syrup (if you don't have this, you can substitute light molasses-but I found it at Whole Foods and Wal-Mart-you can also make your own)
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mix apples, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 Tbsp water in buttered 8 x 8 ovenproof serving dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until apples have started to soften, then mash roughly with fork. Mix remaining sugar with breadcrumbs, chocolate, butter, golden syrup and 1/2 tsp salt. Spoon on top of the mashed apples. Return to oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

MARSHMALLOW FUDGE CAKE: Vintage Ad with Recipe "Just in time for Thanksgiving"

I love Vintage Ads with recipes. This Vintage advertisement is from Good Housekeeping November 1926. The recipe for Campfire Fudge Cake is still perfect for Thanksgiving in 2022. And who hasn't had Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows for Thanksgiving? You might want to try this recipe, too. 

I've always loved the Campfire Brand! So here are three recipes  for your holiday! Marshmallow Fudge Cake, Campfire Apple Mallows, and Sweet Potatoes Southern. Of course the Marshmallow Fudge Cake is the one I'm making! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

1943 NESTLE AD WITH RECIPE FOR TOLLHOUSE COOKIES: Veterans Day

This Vintage Nestle Ad for Toll House Cookies in Good Housekeeping 1943 seems appropriate for Veterans Day. Toll House Cookies: "Make up a batch of those golden-brown, crunchy Toll House Cookie and send to that soldier boy of yours.' These are still terrific cookies for the Veteran in your life, as well as our men and women still in in service. Recipe below.

SWEET STORY CAKE for Valentine's Day: Vintage Ad with Recipe

Here's a great 1948 Vintage Spry Ad for a "Sweet Story Cake" It's perfect for Valentine's Day! "Every Cake Rates a Kiss"   FYI: Spry was similar to Crisco.

 

SWEET STORY CAKE

Ingredients

• For Cake:
• 2½ cups sifted cake flour
• 1½ cups of sugar
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup shortening
• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 4 egg whites, unbeaten
• 18 maraschino cherries, well drained and finely chopped
• ½ cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
•  

• For Frosting: (I doubled this)
• 2 Tablespoons shortening
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
• 9 Tablespoons scalded cream
• Red or pink food coloring

Directions

1. For Cake:
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Drop in shortening. Combine milk and maraschino cherry juice and add ¾ cup of this liquid. Add flavoring extracts and mix with mixer on low for 2 minutes (100 strokes by hand).
3. Add remaining liquid and egg whites and beat for another 2 minutes. Fold in cherries and nuts. Bake in two 9-inch pans or two heart-shaped pans at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. (If you pour all the batter in one pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes)
4. When cool, cut layers with heart shaped pattern, if you didn't use a heart-shaped pan. Spread with frosting, and outline a short Valentine's message with a toothpick and fill in letters and outline of cake with sugar pearls.
5. For Frosting:
6. Combine shortening, butter, flavorings and salt and blend well. Beat in ½ cup sugar. Add hot cream alternating with remaining sugar, beating well after each addition. Add only enough cream to make a nice spreading consistency. Add a few drops of red or pink food coloring to tint frosting a delicate pink before spreading on cake.