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Nothing says comfort like a slice of warm, homemade butter cake topped with glossy boiled chocolate icing. This Southern baking recipe is rich, moist, and layered with nostalgia

Old Fashioned Butter Cake with Boiled Chocolate Icing

Nothing says comfort like a slice of warm, homemade butter cake topped with glossy boiled chocolate icing. This Southern baking recipe is rich, moist, and layered with nostalgia
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Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 4 cups White Lily flour sifted
  • 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tsp butter extract
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 5 large eggs
Icing
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 10 oz evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls (large & medium)
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • 2 × 9x13-inch cake pans (or similar)
  • Sifter for flour
  • Saucepan (for icing)
  • Wire rack for cooling
  • Toothpick (to check doneness)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9x13-inch pans.
  2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Cream butter.
  3. Alternate dry mix and milk into butter. Add extracts. Beat in eggs one at a time.
  4. Bake 40–45 mins, toothpick test clean.
  5. For icing: Combine sugar, butter, cocoa, evaporated milk in saucepan. Boil 5 mins, stir in vanilla.
  6. Pour icing over warm cake. Cool, slice, and serve.

Notes

🔹 Swap almond extract for a nutty twist.
🔹 For an extra-rich version, replace half the milk with heavy cream.
🔹 Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the icing for crunch.
🔹 Serve with ice cream or whipped cream for a restaurant-style dessert.