Tasty Tuesday - Chocolate Brownie Cake with Classic Icing and Strawberries

For weeks leading up to his birthday, Toad was adamant he wanted a chocolate cake, with strawberries and "regular old icing". The strawberries were NOT to be in the cake. The icing was NOT to be cream cheese icing NOR whipped cream icing. Just. Cake. And. Icing. And. Strawberries.

OK, OK, I got it!. Sheeesh!

Now, personal quirk alert: While I DO LOOOVE chocolate, I am not a fan of chocolate cake. It is just not chocolate-y enough for me. I browsed every cookbook and could not find anything I felt would be suitable..... that is, until....

~drum roll please ~

I came across a recipe for brownies I had written out from the back of some Chipits packaging years ago (I think this is it). With a few extra eggs, I figured it would work wonderfully. I would have to omit the chocolate chips (and the nuts, and change the icing), in order to satisfy the strict parameters being imposed upon me by the birthday boy, but that was no biggie...oh, the things we do for our children ;-)

I decided to top the cake with a butter icing from my grandmother's old cookbook - how quaint it felt to read the guidelines pertaining to the benefits of frosting a cake - "it will allow the cake to remain fresh and moist 3-4 times longer than an unfrosted cake". 

Here is the end result:

I had fun making that face! (I know, I know, it doesn't take much to amuse me!)

The cake was delish, and if I do say so myself: Best. Chocolate. Cake. Eva'.

The End Result Chocolate Brownie Cake With Classic Icing and Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients:

cake

1 c melted Becel margarine

2 c white sugar

1 c whole wheat flour

2/3 c. cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1/2 c 1% milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

icing

1 1/4 c icing sugar

2-3 tbs butter or margarine

2-3 tbs 1% milk

garnish

12-14 fresh strawberries

Method:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9" round cake pan with tin foil and grease. Set aside. 
• In large bowl, sift dry ingredients together
• In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients together, then add to dry ingredients; beat well to mix. 
• Bake 50 minutes or until cake tester in centre of cake comes out clean. Cool. 
• Cream together icing sugar and 2 tbs butter. Add more butter to taste. Add milk until desired consistency is reached. 
• Spread icing on cooled cake. Top with cut fresh strawberries.

NOTE: As this was a birthday cake, and the first time I played with it, AND as Toad was asking for something quite specific, I did not try to eliminate the fat/sugar at all. Next time I make this recipe, I will be replacing some of that sugar and butter - OMG - this is NOT diet food!

How the kids can help: measure and poor ingredients, line pan, grease pan, arrange strawberries, lick bowl ;-)

Enjoy! :-)