These little cakes are one of those recipes that will remind you of childhood snack cakes, BUT beyond better than anything that comes in a wrapper. Joanna Gaines recipe for the Magnolia Press Chocolate Cake from her cookbook Magnolia Table Vol. 2 is dang near perfect! They are a little fiddly and not quite as easy as they look, but as long as you get some frosting in the middle they still taste great!
The review…
I’m not going to lie. This recipe is a bit of a hassle and I wondered while making it why you might want to put this much work into it. Also, having eaten this cake at the Magnolia Press Coffee shop, I don’t think the pan size is right or the recipe for the cake was scaled correctly.
I do believe that the cake would be much easier to work with if it was a little bit taller, and having experienced it out of the professional kitchen, it was bigger when purchased than what I made. When I make it again I think I will do the recipe times 1 1/2 and bake it in a more straight-sided pan. A traditional 9×13 casserole dish just doesn’t seem to work properly.
The cake doesn’t rise much so I feel confident that a little more cake batter in the pan will result in a taller cake and make it easier to fill. When I went to cut the centers out the cake was just so shallow that it was difficult to get much cake out while keeping it in one piece.
The reaction…
All the hard work and the tweaks that I think are needed aside, the cake eats beautifully, has a great texture. It is a beautiful combination of flavors, and it does stir up those childhood memories, but on an elevated scale. I shared some with my family and my mom was in love. I think the nostalgia of it all is what really puts it over the top.
The TIPS…
I personally think that the recipe needs to be multiplied times 1.5 to properly fill the pan and make it easier to fill.
Be sure to let the cake cool completely before cutting it so it doesn’t fall apart on you. I would suggest baking the cake the day before you want to finish it to make it much easier to work with.
Overall, a fantastic cake. A little hard to work with and it requires some patience, but it pays off in the end. It’s a special treat that I will hold on to for special events or requests.
Until next time, Happy Cooking!
Kendell
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MY FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS!
Here are a few links to some of my favorite kitchen tools! You get a car, YOu get a car, YOU ALL GET A CAR…in my best Oprah voice
These Rösle Silicone Tongs are a little pricey but they will last you the rest of your life and are the softest in your hand. This is important for someone like m that cooks so much. It reduces strain, I have 4 sets in my kitchen!
These are my FAVE Nordic Ware Sheet Pans, every kitchen should have at least 2 sets of these! I think I have at least 4 of each of these.
This is my favorite pressure cooker, the Fagor is the same concept as the “Instant Pot” but easier to use in my opinion, if you don’t have one you NEED one, it will be your best friend in the kitchen!
A sharp knife is the most important tool in the kitchen, these Japanese steel “Shun” knives are my favorite! And this is a great starter set to build on. Once you try them you will be in love so use this as a foundation you can build on for years to come.
This Scanpan 11″ skillet is just the right size for almost anything you will need to cook and my best friend and a real workhorse in my kitchen, it’s also a great deal at $99. Scanpan is the best in the world for healthy cooking. It is coated with a proprietary ceramic-titanium coating that is durable while allowing you to use fewer fats and oils when cooking. It is a coating only they use. I could talk all day about my love for these pans, message me if you want more info. Here are some other sizes that are available if you are looking to outfit your kitchen with some new goodies. 8″ & 10″ Skillet set or 8″ Skillet, I still need this one for my kitchen Also, I don’t really know how to cook small so the 12.5″ is my other fave!
This giant vat of olive oil is my favorite, I decant it into a smaller bottle for my counter. Or put this spigot on top of a wine bottle!
My favorite baking dish that is so easy to clean even burnt on cheese slides right off!
This Tovolo jar scraper has to be my single favorite kitchen tool, it is definitely the most used tool in my kitchen. If you are NOT a gadget person, this is the only necessity I say is a MUST beyond the wooden spoon.
A great wood spoon is essential, this Olive Wood one is my favorite, I have more than I can count. But can you really ever have too many?
A food scale can be a very important tool in your kitchen, this one is the one I use every day!
If you love Joanna Gaines as much as I do then the ‘Magnolia Table Cookbook’ is a must in your kitchen, get a copy HERE!
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