In the spirit of keeping the beauty brought into the world by those we loved alive…
Rosa Ewing Goldman, the mother of my dearest friend from childhood, passed away last week. I’ve written about her a lot over the years because Rosa was the first great cook I ever knew. She was the first person I ever knew who took pride in ambitious home-cooked food, making special trips to the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue from our sleepy suburb to get just the right bread or homemade pastas and mozzarella. She had a large well-worn wooden recipe box on her kitchen counter that was overstuffed with yellowed handwritten recipe cards and clippings from The New York Times. And I was the lucky beneficiary of so many of those recipes: Her creamy spaghetti with prosciutto and peas, her Shepherd’s pie which was always a leftovers score, a lentil salad made with tarragon vinegar, a garlic and gruyere dip that she always served in a little glass jar. Loyal readers, though, most likely know her as Rosa behind Rosa’s Mud Cake, a recipe she used to make for Jeni’s birthday (her daughter, my friend) and a dessert that I make for almost every celebratory occasion, toasting Rosa always with my first forkful. It was the first recipe I knew I wanted to include in How to Celebrate Everything and it always makes me so happy to hear when people out there who don’t even know her are thinking of her — however peripherally — when they bake that cake. If you have an occasion that calls for a rich, chocolatey super easy treat this week (or whenever!), please do yourself a favor and bake this cake. And please think of Rosa when you do so. Thank you. -JR
Rosa’s Mud Cake
Don’t be concerned about the cup of coffee. It gives it a deep rich color and flavor, but it does not make the cake taste like mocha. Makes one 9×13 sheet cake or two 9-inch layers.
1 ¼ cups flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cups cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup strong black coffee (brewed, not grinds)
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, mix, and pour the batter into two 9-inch round baking pans (or a sheet pan) that have been buttered and lightly floured. (The lightly floured is important!) Bake at 350°F for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let pans cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then gently run a serrated knife along the edges to loosen it. Invert each cake very carefully (it’s a delicate cake) onto a plate or another rack. Frost, if desired, though it’s just as delicious plain with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Also Very Easy Classic Chocolate Frosting (makes 1 ¼ cups)
(This is not Rosa’s recipe.)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon whole milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the chocolate, milk, and vanilla until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency, about 1 to 2 minutes.
