Vanilla Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must warn you that the flood gates have been loosed. Two weeks ago I was asked to feature a recipe for a vanilla cake. As it happens, I have several recipes for that type of cake but they were all tucked into shoe boxes and it took some time to find them. While I love all of them, today's cake, in combination with an outstanding, albeit old-fashioned frosting, happens to be my favorite. The cake is soft, moist and absolutely delicious, a true standout. The frosting is fudge-like and if you love dark chocolate, your tears can mingle with those of the gods who wept when they first tasted it. That's probably an exaggeration, but the frosting is awfully good and those gods woulda if they coulda. The cake and frosting are both simple to make and I know those of you who enjoy old-fashioned desserts will consider the time needed to pull this combo together time well-spent. I have one caution regarding the cake. Be sure to line the pans with parchment to insure release. You will also want to stir the frosting until it thickens. It's guaranteed to lump if you do not. Now, onto the flood gates part of this post. While in those shoe boxes, I came across a whole series of old-fashioned cakes that I haven't see in years. I thought it would be fun to resurrect them, so over the course of the next few weeks I plan to feature the best of them here. Here are the recipes for today's vanilla cake and fudge-like frosting. Enjoy. 

Vanilla Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Frosting...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Allrecipes and Farm Journal

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cake flour
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate broken into small pieces
1-1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons butter

Directions for Cake:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper, then flour pans. Set aside.
2) Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly tapped. Cool 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks.

Directions for Frosting
1) Place sugar and cake flour in a saucepan. Whisk together, slowly adding milk until mixture is smooth. Add chocolate.
2) Place over moderate heat, stirring constantly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Stir in butter. Cool.

                    

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