Chocolate Cabbage Cake

When you make a cake that looks like a giant head of cabbage- people are going to notice. We were celebrating a friend’s birthday and I wanted to bring a special cake for the occasion. While the cake looks like a head of cabbage- there is no cabbage in the cake.

The cake is a round, chocolate cake covered in chocolate leaves. To make the leaves, melted chocolate is painted on cabbage leaves, cooled and then the leaves are peeled off.

While it takes some work, the cake is not as hard to make as you might think. You just have to be patient.

Start by making a round cake. Use 2 stainless steel bowls that are the same size. Bake them and after they are cooled, frost them together into a round cake. Recipe for cake and frosting follow.

The fun starts when you paint large, clean cabbage leaves with melted chocolate. You will need a pound of chocolate. Maybe more. Ok, for sure more than a pound. I melt my chocolate in the microwave. Double boiler works , too.

Once the chocolate is painted on the leaves, I put the leaves in the fridge to set the chocolate faster. Hint: Leave a little leaf showing all around the edges. Easier to remove later. After they are cooled, I carefully peel off and discard the cabbage leaves. What I am left with are chocolate “leaves”. Press the chocolate leaves all around the cake until it is covered. Make a few extra leaves to decorate the plate and to allow for breakage and the chocolate you are going to eat. Also keep extra frosting on hand to use to affix the leaves.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar

1¾ c. all-purpose flour

¾ c. cocoa

1½ t. baking powder

1½ t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

½ c. oil – I like avocado or olive oil

2 t. vanilla

1 c. boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two (1 qt.) metal bowls. Set aside. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Chocolate Butter Cream

12 T. butter, softened

1½ c. cocoa, or more, depending on how dark you want your frosting.

5 c. powdered sugar

¼ c. milk

1 T. vanilla

Cream butter. Combine cocoa and sugar. Beat cocoa mixture in alternately with the milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. You may need an additional tablespoon of milk. Makes about 4 cups. You need a good amount of frosting for the cabbage cake. You should have frosting left over.