Chocolate Velvet Cake with Crunchy Coconut Topping

When I had a fiasco with my cupcakes, I searched and found a wealth of knowledge available over the world wide web to remedy this. This recipe validates one tip~adding mayonnaise to the batter. I found this rich, mouth-wateringly moist chocolate velvet cake recipe on a late 1970’s magazine clipping of a Best Foods’ advertisement.

The cake in itself is not overly “sugary”, but the addition of the crunchy coconut topping adds another dimension to the cake’s sweetness.

Makes 15 Servings

2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mayonnaise
4 squares (1 oz ea) unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/3 cup water
crunchy coconut topping

Grease and flour a 13″x9″x2″ baking pan.
In a bowl, stir flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a mixer at high speed, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until fluffy, around 3 minutes.
Reduce speed to low, beat in mayonnaise and melted chocolate.
At low speed, add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with water, beating until just blended after each addition.
Pour into pan and bake in oven at 350F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool completely. Top with crunchy coconut topping.

Crunchy Coconut Topping

In a saucepan, stirring constantly, bring brown sugar and butter to boil over medium heat, around 2 minutes.
Add milk, coconut flakes and chopped walnuts. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Spread thinly on a baking pan and broil 6 inches from heat until golden brown, around 3 minutes.
Cool and layer on top of cooled cake.