When browsing through a hundred-year-old cookbook published by a shrine patrol in Rochester New York, I saw a recipe for Loaf Chocolate Cake, and decided to give it a try. This recipe is a winner. The recipe was easy to make, and the loaf cake was soft and moist, and had just the right amount of sweetness. (I prefer cakes that aren’t overly sweet).
Here is the original recipe:
A hundred-years-ago milk often was not pasteurized. Back then, if the non-pasteurized milk was not used quickly, the “good” bacteria in the milk would turn it into a sour milk suitable for use in recipes. Today’s pasteurized milk can be turned into a sour milk by adding a little vinegar.
In 1923, squares of baking chocolate were typically 1-ounce. Today they are often 1/2 ounce, so 4 squares rather than 2 may be needed.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Loaf Chocolate Cake
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 1-ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted (Many brands of baking chocolate have squares smaller than 1 ounce, so more than 2 squares may be needed.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a large loaf pan (9″ X 5″) or use two smaller ones.
Put the milk in a cup or bowl, then stir in the vinegar. Set aside for at least 2 minutes to allow milk to sour.
Put brown sugar, butter, flour, eggs, melted chocolate, baking soda, vanilla, and the soured milk in a mixing bowl; stir to combine. Add boiling water; beat until smooth than put in loaf pan. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (The time would be less if two smaller pans are used.)
A Hundred Years Ago 
I think I’ll try this one!!
I think that you’ll like it.
That is an interesting fact about sour milk. I guess they found a way to use it.
People were thrifty back then – though sour milk had some unique qualitities that made it a useful ingredient in some recipes.
This was really an interesting recipe from olden days, Sheryl. Buttermilk, what we use these days in recipes to add volume to a cake, can also be made by combining milk with vinegar. Interesting, too, about the different sizes of baking chocolate squares that have evolved over the years. Great post.
Some of the downsizing of baking chocolate squares has occurred in relatively recent times. I had a really bad experience making brownies using a semi-modern recipe – that is a recipe from when I was young – where I didn’t take into account the reduced size of the squares
Yum.
It’s tasty.
Looks delicious!
I’ve noticed how small the baking squares are today!
The squares sure have shrunk in recent years! In some ways, it seems odd to me that the manufacturers decided to go this route, since so many recipes list the number of squares to use. It seems like it would have made more sense to reduce the number of squares in a box rather than the size of each square – but I clearly don’t understand marketing. 🙂
$ Smaller squares, same price.
This recipe sounds amazing! I love that it’s an old recipe from a hundred years ago, and the tip about using soured milk is really interesting. I can’t wait to try it out!
~ Vika
I think that you’ll like it.