Chocolate is usually paired with fruit, so when you talk about onions and chocolate together, it might seem unusual. Our guest home cook, Hannah, wanted to not only satisfy her own chocolate craving but see if she could get some onions past her 5-year-old, so this cake was the perfect ruse!
Hannah’s thoughts? The cake tasted like peanut M&Ms. This is a cake that shouldn’t sit around, however. The best flavor and texture is on the first day, and the onion flavor starts to come through after the cake stands for 2 to 3 days.
See Hannah’s onion cake-baking experience — and her daughter’s reaction — here.
Give this great Caramelized Secret Chocolate Cake a try.
A dark, rich, moist but light-textured chocolate cake with heaps of satiny chocolate fudge frosting.
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 cup vegetable oil, divided
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, soured with 1 tablespoon vinegar
Easy Fudge Icing (recipe follows)
Melt, chocolate in saucepan, stirring over low heat, or in microwave oven. Caramelize onion by sauteing over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in skillet until soft. In large bowl, beat remaining oil with sugar, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly mixed and fluffy, about 2 or 3 minutes. Beat in warm melted chocolate and caramelized onions. Mix flour with baking soda and salt; stir into batter alternately with milk. Divide batter evenly into 2 well-greased and floured 8-inch round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until a pick inserted into center comes out dry. Cool 15 minutes then invert onto wire racks to thoroughly cool. Spread on icing.
Easy Fudge Icing:
Melt 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate with 1/2 cup butter in saucepan, stirring often over very low heat. Mix in 1/2 cup hot water then turn into mixing bowl. Beat in about 5 cups powdered sugar, a portion at a time. (Adjust as needed to make a good consistency.) Quickly fill and frost cake while icing is still warm. If some icing gets too cool to spread easily, place it in microsafe bowl and microwave shortly just until softened and lustrous.
Makes about 3-1/2 cups.
Per serving: About 830 cal, 8 g pro, 110 g carb, 46 g fat, 46% cal from fat, 58 mg chol, 295 mg sod, 6 g fiber.
