Cake is often on the list of good luck foods to eat on New Year’s day, yes most specify that it should be round cake but to me; cake is cake is cake. The other day on Facebook, my cousin mentioned that she had just made mayo cake from our Gramma’s Amish cookbook. Oh yum! I remember that cookbook because I have the same one. I remember going to Chupp’s Country Cupboard years ago with Gramma to buy one because she always raved about hers. Now that Gramma is gone, my cousin has her old blue book and I love that we can share her memory through one of her favorite hobbies – cooking!
I dug out my copy of that blue ‘Amish Cooking‘ cookbook today and found the mayo cake on page 113. I made sure to scribble a note next to it, just like Gramma would have done, ‘Amanda says it’s good‘, then I sent a text to Amanda asking her what size pan she used, many Amish cookbook recipes are vague about pan size.
The ingredients are ones that most everyone will have on hand in the cupboard and the best part is, you only need one bowl to mix it up in.
I love recipes that let me get out my ancient flour sifter. It’s fun and messy to use it to sift together the sugar, flour, coca, and soda. My daughter, Pie, doesn’t think this cake will be good at all with the mayonnaise in it. I can’t wait to prove to her that it is indeed tasty!
A cup of boiling water is mixed in with the vanilla and mayonnaise (I think that miracle whip, salad dressing and mayo are all interchangeable here) until the batter is nice and smooth. It smells heavenly at this point! I want to lick the spatula…
I just may have done so before I poured it into a greased 9 x 13″ pan.
My cousin and I both agree that this cake tastes just fine without any extras. You could frost it if you wanted to but why?
It tastes like a crumbly cake-y brownie. It rises up very nicely and has a gorgeous deep chocolate color. Amanda says next time she makes it, she’s adding a handful of chocolate chips to the batter, I might try it that way sometime too.
I love recipes that are simple to make, simple to clean up after and simple to eat. Don’t you?
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x13" baking pan with non stick spray.
- Into a medium bowl, Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa and soda.
- Add boiling water, mayonnaise and vanilla to flour mixture and stir until well blended.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 325 for 20 - 25 minutes until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
- Cool on wire rack slightly.
- Frost if you wish (doesn't really need it though!)
- Enjoy warm or cold!
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Oooohhhh! I can’t wait to try this one! It’s been pinned!
So glad you stopped by Robyn! this cake reminds me of my Gramma’s whoopie pies! I hope you like it!
What a yummy recipe!
I love simple easy things too! I’m going to have to make it now.
that looks simple enough and I’ve heard this cake is really good.
I love recipes from old cookbooks like this, especially if the original owner left a note, or you can see the page got a lot of wear & tear… then you know it was a good recipe.
That’s one of my favorite things about finding old cookbooks at yard sales! Love seeing if anyone wrote a little note by an extra special recipe :)
This looks delicious!
This looks so good and so easy I think I might make it for supper.
I hope you enjoy it! I love how simple and delicious this cake is, it really reminds me of my Gramma :)
Looks so yummy I’m going to try it n
Cake is in the oven now, can’t wait to try it !