Unveiling the Secret: The Surprisingly Delicious Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake Recipe
The very idea of a “Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake” often sparks one of two reactions: either utter disbelief and a strong sense of “that must be gross,” or an insatiable curiosity that begs for an explanation. If you fall into the latter category, or if you’re willing to have your culinary perceptions delightfully challenged, then you’ve come to the right place. Let me assure you, this cake is not just edible; it is genuinely delicious! It’s a culinary enigma that captivates with its unexpected charm.
Even my most discerning critic, my husband, thoroughly enjoyed this cake, completely unaware of its secret ingredient. My children, usually adventurous eaters, have yet to brave a slice, largely deterred by the toasted nuts and coconut adorning its exterior rather than the hidden vegetable. But fear not, the sauerkraut, once rinsed and thoroughly drained, sheds its characteristic pungent, pickled flavor. What it contributes instead is a truly remarkable moistness and a wonderfully subtle chewy texture that elevates the cake, much like shredded coconut would, but with an intriguing twist. It’s a masterclass in how unexpected ingredients can transform a classic dessert into something extraordinary.
Adding to the cake’s unique profile is its equally unusual frosting, which boasts mayonnaise as one of its primary components. This simple two-ingredient concoction – mayonnaise and melted chocolate chips – creates a frosting that is nothing short of wonderful. Its creamy, rich texture is surprisingly versatile. If you’re short on time and need a quick, delectable topping, it works beautifully as a pourable glaze. Alternatively, with just 20 minutes of chilling, it transforms into a perfectly spreadable frosting, ideal for layering and decorating. This ingenious frosting perfectly complements the cake’s unconventional character, proving that sometimes, the most surprising combinations yield the most delightful results.
Refining the Recipe: Insights and Adaptations for Perfect Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
Like any good recipe, there’s always room for personal touches and minor adjustments to achieve perfection. During my baking journey with this unique chocolate sauerkraut cake, I encountered a couple of points that led to thoughtful adaptations. These modifications, detailed below, aim to enhance your baking experience and ensure a flawless outcome.
1. Frosting Quantity and Layering
The original recipe suggested reserving 4 cups of frosting to be mixed with coconut and pecans for the filling. However, after meticulously following the instructions, I found myself with a total yield of only 3 cups of frosting. This discrepancy meant the intended balance for layering would be off. To correct this, I adjusted the reserved amount to 2 cups, ensuring ample frosting for both the outer coating and the delightful filling. This revised ratio is now reflected in the adapted recipe, promising a perfectly balanced frosting-to-cake ratio for every slice.
2. The Art of Chopping Sauerkraut and Chilling the Cake
Initially, I found the cake quite challenging to cut cleanly; its extreme moistness often resulted in crumbling. I quickly realized that the original recipe hadn’t specified chopping the sauerkraut. By finely chopping the rinsed and drained sauerkraut, the pieces integrate more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more uniform texture and significantly improving the cake’s structural integrity, making it much easier to slice. Furthermore, I discovered that refrigerating the cake before cutting vastly contributes to cleaner slices and prevents crumbling. While this wasn’t explicitly stated in the initial instructions, it’s a crucial step I now highly recommend for a picture-perfect presentation.
3. Elevating the Topping: The Toasted Pecan and Coconut Mix
My final adaptation involved the cake’s topping. Instead of simply sprinkling raw coconut and pecans, I opted to toast them lightly in a skillet. This simple step unlocks a deeper, richer flavor profile and adds an irresistible crunch that contrasts beautifully with the moist cake. The warm, nutty aroma that fills your kitchen during this step is an added bonus, making the final presentation not only visually appealing but also a treat for the senses.
Beyond these minor adjustments, this chocolate sauerkraut cake stands as an exceptionally good dessert. It’s a testament to the power of unconventional ingredients when used thoughtfully. But where did such a peculiar creation come from?
The Curious Origins of Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
My curiosity naturally led me to investigate the history behind this intriguing cake. While definitive proof remains somewhat elusive, two fascinating theories emerge, each painting a vivid picture of its potential beginnings. It’s a journey into the world of “lost recipes” and culinary folklore, where necessity and novelty often intertwined.
The USDA Surplus Theory: A Wartime Innovation?
One popular narrative, playfully recounted by the blog The Old Foodie, suggests that chocolate sauerkraut cake originated in the 1960s as a solution to a significant surplus of sauerkraut. According to this account, the USDA Surplus Committee was actively seeking innovative ways to utilize excess canned kraut. The unlikely hero of this story is a lunch lady named Geraldine Timms, from Waller High School in Chicago, who supposedly developed the recipe. It’s a charming tale that makes one wonder if such resourcefulness contributed to the occasional “bad rap” school lunch ladies received back then! While finding further details about Geraldine herself proved challenging, it is a fact that a Waller High School existed in Chicago, lending a touch of plausibility to this delightful anecdote.
The April Fool’s Day Delight: A Family Tradition?
A contrasting, yet equally compelling, origin story is presented in the cookbook America’s Best Lost Recipes, the very source of my adapted recipe. This book claims the recipe was a popular April Fool’s Day prank in the 1960s. Submitted by Tracey Duble of Ardmore, PA, her family lore states that her German/Polish mother regularly baked sauerkraut cake for her and her siblings during their childhood. This version hints at a more personal, perhaps generational, tradition, where the cake served as a playful deception that always ended in a delicious surprise. It suggests that this “lost recipe” might have been a cherished family secret before gaining wider, albeit niche, recognition.
So, the true genesis of chocolate sauerkraut cake remains a delightful mystery, a testament to the diverse and often whimsical evolution of culinary traditions. However, when you truly consider it, adding sauerkraut to a chocolate cake isn’t as outlandish as it first seems. Why, you ask? Because, historically, chocolate cake recipes often included vinegar to enhance moisture and activate leavening agents, a role sauerkraut can subtly fulfill without its dominant flavor. We’ve long embraced other “odd” vegetable ingredients in our desserts, such as carrots in carrot cake, zucchini in zucchini bread, and even beets in red velvet cakes for color and moisture. Given this rich history of culinary experimentation, the question naturally becomes: So why not sauerkraut? It’s simply another vegetable, expertly prepared, bringing its unique qualities to the table in a deliciously unexpected way.
Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake: The Full Recipe
Ready to embark on a truly unique baking adventure? This adapted recipe for Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake will guide you through creating a remarkably moist and flavorful dessert that will surprise and delight everyone who tries it. Prepare to impress with this conversation-starting confection, perfected through careful adjustments for the best possible texture and taste.
adapted from America’s Best Lost Recipes
Cake Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Frosting and Filling Ingredients
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sweetened, shredded coconut, divided
2/3 cup pecans, chopped, divided
Instructions to Make the Cake
1. Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, then preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans, ensuring an even coating to prevent sticking. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients: water, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 2 minutes. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture and the water mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat briefly after each addition until just combined. Finish by scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula and gently stirring to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated without overmixing.
3. With a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the finely chopped sauerkraut and pecans. Divide the batter evenly among your three prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Halfway through baking, rotate and switch the positions of the pans to ensure even cooking. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before carefully inverting them onto wire racks. Peel off any parchment paper. Let the cakes cool completely on the wire racks for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
Instructions to Make the Frosting and Filling
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted chocolate chips and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined. This will form your base frosting. Measure out and reserve 2 cups of this frosting for the cake’s exterior. To the frosting remaining in the bowl, add 1/3 cup of the sweetened shredded coconut and 1/3 cup of the chopped pecans. This mixture will serve as your cake filling.
2. Once your cake layers are completely cool, place one layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the coconut and pecan filling evenly over this layer. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the process with the remaining filling. Finally, top with the third and final cake layer. Use the reserved 2 cups of plain chocolate-mayonnaise frosting to spread smoothly over the top and sides of the entire cake, creating a beautiful and even coating.
3. For the toasted topping, combine the remaining coconut and pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent burning, cooking until they achieve a light golden brown color and become fragrant. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the toasted mixture onto a piece of paper towel or a waiting plate to cool completely. Leaving them in the hot pan will cause them to continue cooking and potentially burn.
4. Once the toasted topping has cooled, gently press it into the sides of the frosted cake. This adds a beautiful textural contrast and a delightful nutty flavor. Cover the cake and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. Chilling the cake for at least an hour will make it much easier to slice neatly. This cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, maintaining its moistness and flavor.
Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 tablespoons 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups sauerkraut rinsed, drained and chopped
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Frosting and Filling
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips melted
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- ⅔ cup pecans chopped, divided
Instructions
Cake
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Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the water, eggs, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
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With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Reduce mixer speed and ddd the flour mixture and the water mixture alternately, beating after each addition until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and stir to combine.
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Using a rubber spatula, fold in the sauerkraut and pecans. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating and switching the pan positions halfway through baking. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes then, remove from pan and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks, at least 30 minutes.
Frosting and Filling
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Whisk the melted chocolate chips and mayonnaise in a medium bowl and reserve 2 cups. To the frosting remaining in the bowl, add 1/3 cup of the coconut and 1/3 cup of the chopped pecans (this is the filling).
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Spread half the filling on one cake layer. Repeat with the second layer and the remaining filling. Top with the final layer and spread the top and sides of the cake with the reserved frosting.
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Mix together the remaining coconut and pecans and toast them in a skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until the start to turn light golden brown, then remove from heat immediately. Dump them out of the pan onto a piece of paper towel or a waiting plate to cool. Leaving them in the pan can cause them to burn, even if the pan is removed from the fire.
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When topping has cooled, press it into the sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
For other intriguing recipes that defy expectations, be sure to try these delightful options:
And for more fascinating culinary twists from around the web:
Sauerkraut Peanut Butter Chip Cake – at Noble Pig
Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake with Chocolate Glaze – at Leite’s Culinaria
Beet Cake – at Straight From The Farm
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