Your “Sunday Best” Chocolate Cake
1960’s Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake is a much-loved family recipe from an old Be-Ro cookbook. It first appeared in edition 24 which was published in 1961.
I have shared the original version of this cake before on Lavender & Lovage here: OLD-FASHIONED MILK CHOCOLATE CAKE.
However, the recipe I’m sharing today has been tweaked to make a larger cake, which serves 12 instead of 8, but still using the essential ingredient of evaporated milk.
This 1960’s Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake is more like a gateau, and is what we like to call “Your Sunday Best Chocolate Cake” in our household!
I’ve added a rather retro 1960’s decorative finish of “hundreds and thousands” as well as little chocolate “jazzies”, that we used to call rainbow chocolate drops when I was growing up.
You can decorate this cake as you wish, and my later mother used always decorate her milk chocolate cakes with walnut halves, as well as added chopped walnuts to the chocolate buttercream filling too.
This really is a proper 60’s Sunday tea time cake, and one that would have been welcomed with glee by all the family.
We tend to forget today, that rationing in the UK only ended in 1954, and so a chocolate cake would have been a very special treat in the 1960’s.
I hope you enjoy this updated and larger version of the Be-Ro Milk Chocolate Cake. I’ve shared lots of other recipes from these wonderful little cookbooks below, all of them winners.
Culinary Notes
- It’s a very well-behaved cake when packed for a picnic too. If you don’t have evaporated milk, use full fat fresh milk instead.
- You can decorate this cake with walnut or pecan halves, OR Cadbury’s “Chocolate Buttons” are also a good finishing touch, and which are always popular.
- When raspberries are in season, I often add them to the sandwich filling and to the top for decoration.
More Be-Ro Recipes on Lavender & Lovage
- Australian Crunchies (Traybake)
- Be-Ro Dropped Scones for Breakfast (Griddle Cakes)
- Vanilla Butterfly Cakes
Recipe for 1960’s Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake
1960's Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake
1960's Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake is a much-loved family recipe from an old Be-Ro cookbook. It first appeared in edition 24 which was published in 1961.
I have shared the original version of this cake before on Lavender & Lovage here: OLD-FASHIONED MILK CHOCOLATE CAKE.
However, the recipe I'm sharing today has been tweaked to make a larger cake, which serves 12 instead of 8, but still using the essential ingredient of evaporated milk.
This 1960's Evaporated Milk Chocolate Cake is more like a gateau, and is what we call "Your Sunday Best Chocolate Cake" in our household!
I've added a rather retro 1960's decorative finish of "hundreds and thousands" as well as little chocolate "jazzies", that we used to call rainbow chocolate drops when I was growing up.
You can decorate this cake as you wish, and my later mother used always decorate her milk chocolate cakes with walnut halves, as well as added chopped walnuts to the chocolate buttercream filling too.
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 225g SR flour
- 225g caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 75g cocoa powder
- 140g softened butter (or margarine such as Stork)
- 3 eggs
- 10 tablespoons (150mls) evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolate Buttercream:
- 115g softened butter
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 240g sieved icing sugar
- 3 tablespoons hot evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- To Decorate:
- Hundreds and Thousands
- Jazzies
- Chocolate buttons
- Walnut halves
Instructions
1. CAKE: Sieve the flour, sugar, salt and cocoa together. Rub in the margarine or butter. Stir the beaten eggs and evaporated milk into the mixture, then add the vanilla extract.
2. Beat well until light and fluffy and well mixed.
3. Grease and line 2 x 6″ or 7″ round baking tins – not loose-bottomed as the mixture may run out.
4. Bake in a moderate oven, 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 25 to 30 minutes, or until well risen.
5. Allow to cool slightly before turning the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before icing and decorating the cake.
6. ICING: Melt the butter and blend in the cocoa powder, sieved icing sugar, hot milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and thick. Allow to settle for about 5 minutes before icing the cake.
7. ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: When the cake is completely cold, sandwich the two halves together with half of the icing.
8. Spread some of the remaining icing on the top.
9. Decorate with your choice of decorations.
10. Store in an airtight tin for up to 5 days, or freeze the cake before icing. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
It's a very well-behaved cake when packed for a picnic too. If you don’t have evaporated milk, use full fat fresh milk instead.
You can decorate this cake with walnut or pecan halves, OR Cadbury’s “Chocolate Buttons” are also a good finishing touch, and which are always popular.
When raspberries are in season, I often add them to the sandwich filling and to the top for decoration.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 539Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 110mgSodium 305mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 2gSugar 50gProtein 12g
Ann says
Can’t wait to try the chocolate cake!!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Ann 🙂
Nancy says
I am wanting to try this recipe can you tell me what size eggs the recipe calls for medium or large
Karen Burns-Booth says
I tend to use large eggs, hope that helps, Karen
Nancy coffey says
Just tried this chocolate cake and it’s lovely in the end I used large eggs a wasn’t sure which size,
I will definitely be making it again and it looks like it would hold up very well when I do my carved cake iv tried loads of different chocolate cake to try and find one that’s really good and I’m so glad I stumbled up to your recipe thankyou for posting it
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks for you lovely comments Nancy and and I am so pleased that you loved this cake recipe! 🙂 Karen
Fleur Shack says
My Mother always used evaporated milk as we were unable to get fresh milk living in the jungles of Borneo. Her cakes never failed always had body and held together well as we also only used free range eggs from our pet hens. Thank you for mentioning evaporated milk! Fond memories of helping to mix the cakes ! Evaporated milk also makes great sponges
Home made is always the best.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you so much for your comment! I was born in South Africa and lived in Hong Kong growing up, and my mum also relied on evaporated milk a lot too!
Karen
Fiona Calder says
I’ve been making this chocolate cake for more than 40 years using my mum’s old bero book. I tend to make it in a ring tin now which I prefer as you need less icing and it’s easier to slice
I decorate with minstrels or giant chocolate buttons.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I often make mine and decorate it with giant chocolate buttons too! Such a fabulous cake recipe! Karen
