This cake is inspired by Grandma Audrey, whom I named my little girl after. Grandma is beyond creative. She’s written and illustrated children’s books, is a master oil and watercolor painter, and is even a greeting card designer! You can see a snippet of her talent in the beautiful drinking glass behind this cake, which she painted for me.
She’s also an inspiration in the kitchen. For years and years I begged her to share this recipe with me. Imagine my surprise when she revealed it was a box mix! With her permission, I’m so delighted to share this Vintage Cake with you. The flavor combination is divine and the brownie layer adds a texture you’ll want to use again and again. You can of course use your favorite recipes from scratch if you like.
1 box white cake mix (or 1 recipe White Cake)
1 box brownie mix (or 1 recipe Decadent Brownies)
2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half of a 14-ounce can)
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 9-inch round cake pans; small offset spatula
DIFFICULTY: Easy
1. Pour the white cake batter into two 9-inch round cake pans. If the edges start to get too dark, place a ring of aluminum foil around the edges. Cool the cakes to room temperature.
2. Bake the brownies in a 9-inch round cake pan. The level of the batter should not be higher than three-fourths up the side of the pan; bake any extra batter as cupcakes.
3. To make the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
4. While it’s still warm, place the brownie layer on a cake stand. Slowly pour the chocolate sauce over the brownie layer, letting it be absorbed into the brownie. Sometimes I use all the chocolate sauce and allow the sauce to spill over the sides of the brownie and sometimes I use less and contain the chocolate sauce to the top. Allow the sauce to absorb for at least 30 minutes. Before you assemble the rest of the cake, clean the cake stand of any excess sauce.
5. Prepare the cream cheese frosting.
6. Place a white cake layer on top of the brownie and top with approximately ¼ cup of cream cheese frosting using the offset spatula.
7. Add the second white cake layer and cover the cake in a crumb coat of cream cheese frosting.
8. Cover the cake in a layer of cream cheese frosting. To achieve a vintage, rustic look, simply swoop the offset spatula through the frosting in C shapes. Do this over the entire cake.
9. Chill the cake until ready to serve.
