The Surprisingly Delicious Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake Recipe: A Moist & Unique Dessert
Are you raising an eyebrow, perhaps even scratching your head in disbelief? “Sauerkraut in a chocolate cake?” you might exclaim. Indeed! And if your curiosity is piqued, preparing to discover the secret behind this remarkably delicious and moist dessert, then you’ve come to the right place. This isn’t just any chocolate cake; it’s a culinary adventure that defies expectations and delights the palate. Many who’ve tasted it, including my own husband, have no idea of its hidden ingredient, a testament to its seamless integration into a rich, decadent chocolate experience. While my kids remain cautious of anything with nuts or coconut on the outside, I’m confident that this unique cake will win over even the pickiest eaters once they try a slice.
The magic ingredient, sauerkraut, undergoes a special preparation to ensure it contributes only desirable qualities to the cake. Thoroughly rinsed and drained, most of its characteristic pickling flavor is washed away, leaving behind a subtle tang that complements the chocolate without overpowering it. What it does contribute is an absolutely fabulous moist and chewy texture, reminiscent of how shredded coconut enhances a cake. It acts as a natural tenderizer and moisture retainer, ensuring every bite is wonderfully soft and never dry.
Adding to the unusual charm of this recipe is its equally surprising frosting: a simple, two-ingredient wonder made from mayonnaise and melted chocolate chips. This combination might sound unconventional, but trust me, it creates a wonderfully smooth, rich, and spreadable frosting that is incredibly easy to prepare. In a rush? This versatile mixture works beautifully as a quick chocolate glaze. If you have an extra 20 minutes to chill it, it transforms into a perfectly spreadable frosting, making cake decoration a breeze. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary results.
Refining the Recipe: Tips for a Perfect Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake
While the core recipe is fantastic, a few adjustments and insights can elevate your baking experience and ensure perfect results every time. Here are my notes on refining this unique chocolate sauerkraut cake:
1. Adjusting the Frosting Proportions
The original recipe suggested reserving 4 cups of frosting for spreading and mixing coconut and pecans into the remainder for the filling. However, after following the instructions, I found that the total yield was closer to 3 cups of frosting. To ensure sufficient frosting for both the filling and the outer layer, I adapted the recipe to reserve 2 cups for the final spread and used the rest for the delightful coconut-pecan filling. This adjustment, reflected in the recipe below, guarantees a generous frosting layer for your cake.
2. Enhancing Cake Texture and Ease of Cutting
Initially, I encountered an issue where the cake, while incredibly moist, tended to crumble a bit when cut. This made for less-than-perfect slices. Upon reflection, I realized the recipe didn’t explicitly instruct to chop the sauerkraut. I believe this detail is crucial. Finely chopping the sauerkraut ensures it integrates more smoothly into the batter, contributing to a more uniform and stable cake structure. This small but significant modification drastically improved the cake’s texture and made it much easier to slice cleanly. Additionally, I learned that refrigerating the cake before cutting can further aid in achieving neat slices, a tip I now always follow.
3. Elevating the Toasted Topping
For the final touch, I chose to enhance the flavor and aroma of the coconut and pecan topping. Instead of simply mixing them together, I decided to toast them lightly in a skillet before pressing them onto the sides of the cake. This extra step brings out a deeper, richer, and nuttier flavor from both the coconut and the pecans, adding another layer of complexity and a delightful crunch that perfectly complements the moist chocolate cake and creamy frosting.
Beyond these minor tweaks, this chocolate sauerkraut cake is truly exceptional. It’s a bold and intriguing dessert that will have your guests guessing the secret ingredient, and marveling at its deliciousness.
The Intriguing History of Sauerkraut Cake
The origin story of sauerkraut cake is as fascinating and elusive as the cake itself. I delved into its history, eager to uncover how such an unusual ingredient found its way into a dessert. What I found were a couple of captivating, though not always definitively proven, theories.
One popular tale, charmingly recounted by a blog called The Old Foodie, suggests that chocolate sauerkraut cake emerged during the 1960s. This era apparently saw a surplus of sauerkraut, leading the USDA Surplus Committee to seek creative ways to utilize the excess canned kraut. The story credits Geraldine Timms, a lunch lady from Waller High School in Chicago, with developing this innovative recipe. It makes you wonder if pioneering lunch ladies like Geraldine are why school cafeteria food sometimes gets an undeserved bad rap! While concrete evidence about Geraldine herself remains scarce, it is a fact that Waller High School exists in Chicago, lending a touch of credibility to this intriguing anecdote.
However, another compelling narrative is presented in the cookbook America’s Best Lost Recipes, which was the source for my adaptation. This book asserts that the recipe gained popularity in the 1960s, but primarily as an April Fool’s Day prank recipe. According to the book, the recipe was submitted by Tracey Duble of Ardmore, PA, who shared that her mother, of German/Polish descent, frequently baked sauerkraut cake for her and her siblings when they were children. This version suggests a more traditional, familial origin, perhaps passed down through generations.
So, the true genesis of chocolate sauerkraut cake remains somewhat a mystery. Yet, when you consider it, adding sauerkraut to a cake isn’t nearly as outlandish as it first sounds. Why, you ask?
Why Sauerkraut Works in Chocolate Cake: The Science of Moisture
The inclusion of sauerkraut in a chocolate cake might seem bizarre, but it’s actually rooted in a long-standing baking tradition. Historically, it was quite common for earlier chocolate cake recipes to incorporate vinegar. The acidity of vinegar reacts with baking soda to create carbon dioxide bubbles, which tenderize the crumb and boost moisture, resulting in a lighter, more tender cake. Sauerkraut, being fermented cabbage, is naturally acidic and functions in a similar way, providing that crucial acidic component while also adding an incredible amount of moisture without imparting any strong “pickle” flavor once rinsed and baked.
Moreover, sauerkraut brings a unique texture to the cake, offering a subtle chewiness that prevents the cake from becoming overly dense or dry. This is precisely why it’s often compared to shredded coconut in terms of its textural contribution. It’s a brilliant way to add richness and depth to the cake’s body.
Think about other “odd” ingredients that have found their way into beloved baked goods: carrots in carrot cake, zucchini in zucchini bread, and even beets in red velvet cake (for color and moisture). These ingredients are celebrated for the unique moisture, texture, and subtle flavors they contribute, often without their presence being overtly noticeable. In this context, sauerkraut simply joins a venerable list of unexpected culinary heroes. So, why not sauerkraut? It’s a testament to the ingenuity of bakers who discovered that this humble ingredient could create such a wonderfully moist and flavorful chocolate cake.
Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake Recipe
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: Make the Cake
- Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large measuring cup or separate bowl, whisk the water, eggs, and vanilla.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary to ensure even mixing. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture and the water mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat after each addition until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and gently stir to ensure everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the finely chopped sauerkraut and chopped pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, typically 25 to 30 minutes. Remember to rotate and switch the pan positions halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes before carefully removing them and peeling off any parchment paper. Transfer the cake layers to wire racks and allow them to cool completely, for at least 30 minutes, before frosting.
Instructions: Make the Frosting and Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted chocolate chips and mayonnaise until smooth and well combined. This is your delicious chocolate mayonnaise frosting. Reserve 2 cups of this frosting for the outer layer of the cake.
- To the frosting remaining in the bowl, add 1/3 cup of the sweetened shredded coconut and 1/3 cup of the chopped pecans. Stir thoroughly to combine; this mixture will serve as your flavorful cake filling.
- To assemble the cake, place one cooled cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the coconut-pecan filling evenly over this layer. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat with the remaining filling. Finally, crown your creation with the third cake layer and spread the reserved plain chocolate frosting over the top and sides of the entire cake, creating a smooth and appealing finish.
- For the irresistible topping, mix together the remaining 1/3 cup of coconut and 1/3 cup of chopped pecans. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the coconut and pecan mixture. Stir constantly until they begin to turn a beautiful light golden brown and become fragrant. This toasting process enhances their flavor significantly. Immediately remove them from the heat and transfer them out of the hot pan onto a piece of paper towel or a waiting plate to cool completely. Leaving them in the hot pan, even off the heat, can cause them to burn quickly.
- Once the toasted coconut and pecan topping has cooled completely, gently press it into the sides of the frosted cake. This adds a delightful crunch and visual appeal. Cover the cake and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve. This chilling period also helps the frosting set and makes for easier slicing. The cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, remaining wonderfully moist and flavorful.
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.
Explore More Intriguing Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed the adventure of baking a Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake, you’re sure to love these other uniquely delicious and intriguing recipes:
- Carrot Cake Towers
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Morning Glory Zucchini Bread
And don’t miss these fantastic recipes from other culinary explorers:
- 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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