Never Buy Chocolate Syrup Again!

I haven't bought chocolate syrup in over a year. Yes, I need extra chocolate on my ice cream and I love chocolate raw milk. It's like a treat. My boys get chocolate milk when Grandma and Papa visit. And no, I didn't stock up or stretch one bottle this long. I make it. I especially love that I can control what's in it. This is so easy, and you probably already have the ingredients.

Chocolate Syrup:
1/2 cup powdered cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups sugar (I only use 1 1/2)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Combine cocoa and water in saucepan on medium heat until dissolved.
Add sugar and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. *Be careful not to boil over! This happens to me as soon as I turn around.
Take off heat and add salt and vanilla.
Allow to cool and store in glass container.

Use within two months. If you have children, this usually isn't an issue.

Yum!

Homemade Marshmallow Frosting

Alright, you can't really have cake without frosting. At least I can't.

Here is what makes the cake. 

First, get a cup's worth of marshmallows. 

I don't measure. I'm too lazy. 

I haven't made this in a while, so these are the leftover marshmallows, and they were a little hard. 

Anyways..

Heat the marshmallows so they mix easily. Usually about 30 seconds is enough. But mine were hard, so it took a minute. 

Add a tablespoon of milk. Regular milk, raw milk, whatever kind you want. I used coconut milk. Stir until it looks like this. Mine was a little lumpy because, again, they were harder than normal.

In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups of powdered sugar with 1/3 cup of cocoa.

Put about a cup of coconut oil in another bowl, and cream it with a mixer. 

{Again, I didn't measure. I'm too lazy.}

Next is the really messy part. It's not usually this messy. Of course, it's because I was taking pictures. 

You're supposed to mix the coconut oil in the powdered mix. Um, if it's as messy as mine, just go ahead and add the marshmallow mix, too. 

Use the mixer... unless you're really strong.

Using a bigger bowl would probably help with the mess.

Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla. 

Set aside a 1/4 cup of milk. 

Add a tablespoon at a time, mixing in between. 

You don't need to add the whole 1/4 cup of milk. Keep adding until you reach desired consistency. The less you add, the thicker it will be. 

Frost your cake, and enjoy! 

 

The kind of coconut oil you use will determine your outcome. This time I used a better quality oil, and you could definitely taste it. Keep that in mind. Also, you could use butter instead of coconut oil. 

This frosting could also be dairy-free if that's your preference. 

Just be careful of what size bowl you use. Lol.

{Yummy} Dairy-free Egg-free Chocolate Cake!

This cake is so good!

 It's called Wacky Cake or Depression Cake. 

It is so easy! And it's from scratch!

Wacky, I know.

First, set your oven to 350. 

Next, you're supposed to grease an 8x8, but I never do. 

Then, you mix all the dry ingredients right in the pan!! So cool that there's no extra dishes!

Dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cup flour

3 Tbsp cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

After you stir it all together it should look like that picture. ^^

Then make three indentations in your mixture. Two small and one big. I like to make a face out of them because I'm easily amused. Today I made a grumpy face. 

Fill one small dent with vinegar and one with vanilla. The bigger one is supposed to be vegetable oil, but I don't ever have vegetable oil, so I use olive oil. {I thought it was cool how they all started with "v".} See? It doesn't take much to amuse me. 

Then pour one cup of water over the top and stir. 

I don't know if you actually have to make the dents and do it all exact, but that's the was I learned, and I've always done it that way. 

Anyways, stir until it's pretty consistent. Like cake batter. 

Stick it in the oven for 35 minutes.

 

This is what should come out! Yum!

Allow to cool and frost with your favorite frosting. 

If I'm feeling adventurous tonight I'll post the frosting recipe I use. 

It is pretty ridiculous tasting.

~

I made this a lot during the summer because I was nursing R and he can't have dairy. I made it at least 3 times a week. So, I had it memorized.

One time I accidentally put 3 tablespoons of baking soda instead of cocoa. I realized it right away and tried to scoop as much out as I could. I thought I did a pretty good job. I continued on with my cake. 

After it cooled, my husband and I each took a bit at the same time, and boy! It burned your mouth. 

I'm pretty sure I spit mine out.

Not just because it tasted bad. 

But my husband is quite dramatic. So, he made me laugh. 

Let's just say that's not the first time chocolate has come out my nose...

Anyways... all that to say, well.. not sure why I said that... 

Enjoy your cake!