Amazing Solan Family Chocolate Cake (Aka 3-Hole Cake)

brittmarie's Note:

This is a Swedish cake recipe; I got it from a dear friend who made it at several parties during college and always got rave reviews. Now I'm the one who gets all the credit when I make it : ) My family loves it; I play the "guess-the-secret-ingredient" game (the vinegar) and no one ever has... though they've guessed everything from peanut butter to cheese! I love it because it's relatively "healthy" (no dairy, no eggs, low-fat), while it's still amazingly moist and chocolaty and dense. (You can make it even lower fat if you use only 1/4 C oil and sub. 1/2 C applesauce).

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Mocha Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon decaf instant coffee (optional)
• 1 -1 1/2 tablespoon milk, of choice (works with regular, soy or rice or whatever) (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (I usually use almond, but have tried & like coconut, orig. glaze recipe calls for peppermint) (optional)

Directions:

1. Instructions for Cake:.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.
3. Mix wet ingredients together in separate bowl.
4. Add wet to dry a little at a time, stirring as you add.
5. Pour batter into WELL-GREASED bundt cake pan (well-greased is key--this is a sticky cake; I use Pam with great results), bake at 350 for 35-40 minute.
6. Serving suggestions: with fresh whipped cream& strawberries, or drizzle with warm caramel or Kahlua, or glaze with mocha glaze (or some combo thereof!).
7. Instructions for Glaze:.
8. Mix dry ingredients together in bowl.
9. Dissolve coffee in 1 tablespoon of milk; add extract.
10. Whisk coffee liquid into dry ingredients; whisk until all blended and if needed, add 1/2 tablespoon more milk.
11. USE GLAZE IMMEDIATELY OVER CAKE. It will harden quickly.

Reviews

[b.rakoczy]

Did this recipe for work for something Swedish "Diversity Day" It was a winner! I used the original peppermint in the glaze and added a little vanilla to it too! Turned out awesome! Oh I also went the low fat version with applesauce so moist and delicious! I will definitely be doing this one again.

[Deana Bravo]

My daughter and I made this cake for a school project. I used a regular 9 x 13 pan and didn't bake for quite as long, just made sure the center springed back. It was DELICIOUS! I added 6 HEAPING tbsp. of cocoa and about 1 1/2 c. of semi-sweet choc. chips. For the glaze, I used the milk, powdered sugar and cocoa. It was chocolately, but I love chocolate, so I thought it was fabulous! Only thing - like other reviews, I found this cake hard to get out of the pan without falling apart. Otherwise, I thought it was the best chocolate cake I had ever made from scratch!

[jynurse05]

I made this cake tonight and I have to tell you that it was disgusting. The middle was runny and it tasted like raw cake batter. I know I did everything just the way I should. The reviews I read described it just the way it turned out, but...yuk!!!! And...to those of you who thing that this is a healthy cake...considering the white flour, white sugar....no it isn't for anyone. Eggs would have been the healthy portion of the recipe. Thanks