Brownstone Front Chocolate Cake

Rating: 3 stars
7 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 2
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 3

This is an old family recipe. The cake has a delicate chocolate flavor and the icing is hard to the touch, yet creamy when bitten into.

By Judalee

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Recipe Summary

Servings:
12
Yield:
1 - 9 inch layer cake
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

12
Original recipe yields 12 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.

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  • Separate the eggs. Set the egg yolks aside and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

  • Cream 2 1/'4 cups sugar, vanilla, and shortening. Add the egg yolks and beat till smooth.

  • Sift together the cocoa, cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamy mixture. Lastly, fold in beaten egg whites.

  • Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans. Bake 20-25 minutes in 325 degree F (165 degrees C) oven, or until done.

  • To Make Icing: Cook 2 cups white sugar, 1 cup cream and 1/2 cup butter or margarine over low flame until mixture forms a soft ball in water. Remove from heat, beat about 5 or 6 strokes to make mixture smooth. Cool, spread between and on layers while lukewarm. This hardens when cold.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
710 calories; protein 6.4g; carbohydrates 96.2g; fat 34.7g; cholesterol 125.8mg; sodium 323.1mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (7)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Ann
Rating: 4 stars
11/18/2009
This cake is great!!!!!! But it i VERY hard to perfect. If you want a challenge in baking this cake is for you. If you do this right it will knock your socks off!!! Read More
Helpful
(7)

Most helpful critical review

SANDRA J
Rating: 1 stars
07/11/2003
A lady I know told me that since I was an accomplished baker I should make a "Brownstone" cake so I found this recipe and made it.The cake batter was dry when I finished it according to the recipe so I added sour cream which improved that and I think that the cake part tastes ok but the icing tastes like sugar water and even though I made it exactly as directed and used a candy thermometer it is still runny and not very appealing.It was a very difficult and time consuming recipe(with insane amounts of sugar) which makes it no fun at all.I did not like it! Read More
Helpful
(15)
7 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 2
  • 4 star values: 2
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 3
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
SANDRA J
Rating: 1 stars
07/11/2003
A lady I know told me that since I was an accomplished baker I should make a "Brownstone" cake so I found this recipe and made it.The cake batter was dry when I finished it according to the recipe so I added sour cream which improved that and I think that the cake part tastes ok but the icing tastes like sugar water and even though I made it exactly as directed and used a candy thermometer it is still runny and not very appealing.It was a very difficult and time consuming recipe(with insane amounts of sugar) which makes it no fun at all.I did not like it! Read More
Helpful
(15)
bebe
Rating: 1 stars
11/25/2011
If you are from the South you know this is not a traditional Brownstone Front. BUTTER only no shortening. Melted unsweetened chocolate not cocoa. The eggs are separated the whites beaten until stiff and folded in at the end. True Brownstone Front icing has evaporated milk 2 sticks of butter and 2 cups of sugar cooked to soft ball stage cooled to room temperature and then beaten to spreading consistency. It is a pain from start to finish but worth the trouble once you get it right. It takes a lot of practice and more than one failure. Read More
Helpful
(13)
Ann
Rating: 4 stars
11/18/2009
This cake is great!!!!!! But it i VERY hard to perfect. If you want a challenge in baking this cake is for you. If you do this right it will knock your socks off!!! Read More
Helpful
(7)
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KUNGFUKAREN
Rating: 4 stars
06/13/2003
Tasty but not super-flavorful cake. Read More
Helpful
(5)
ERNMEG
Rating: 1 stars
06/13/2003
I baked this recipe twice and both times it failed to turn out well. Read More
Helpful
(5)
Tracy Graves
Rating: 5 stars
12/22/2006
Ok as for the negative reviews.......if you can't use a cndy themometer stick to using canned frosting. It isn't always the recipe at fault. Read More
Helpful
(3)
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Kay Sweat
Rating: 5 stars
07/29/2019
This special cake recipe was always made for birthdays in our family by my grandmother (who was taught to make it by her mother in law)and it is delicious. It isn't a low calorie cake but it is meant as a treat not a weekly dessert. Grandma always made it in a 9x13 pan. She kept it covered and it was very moist. It has a very distinct flavor and smells so good! Read More
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