A classic chocolate mayonnaise cake recipe, perfect for sharing with friends — just like in the book “Presto & Zesto in Limboland.” Sponsored by the Maurice Sendak Foundation.
“What’s the world coming to without cake?”
Two friends on a search for the perfect slice of cake…or two.
That’s how the adventure begins in Presto & Zesto in Limboland, a newly uncovered work from renowned author Maurice Sendak (of Where the Wild Things Are fame).
Sendak and his best friend, Arthur Yorinks co-authored Presto & Zesto in Limboland over the course of a few months, lengthy walks together, and many a slice of chocolate cake. The unique title stems from their nicknames for each other: (Presto = Arthur, Zesto = Maurice).
Presto & Zesto in Limboland was originally written over 20 years ago, but never released. It was set aside and forgotten, almost lost forever after Sendak’s passing.
Incredibly, the unfinished manuscript was discovered 15 years later, and in honor of his late friend, Arthur Yorinks finished the story they had started decades earlier.
Reading the afterword, which gave a behind the scenes look at how Presto & Zesto in Limboland came to be, it reminded me of my own best friend Megan. We grew up together in West Virginia and still keep in touch today. Many times our phone calls consist solely of reminiscing and laughing about our own goofball antics.
Best friends are worth celebrating, and Presto & Zesto in Limboland does just that!
You can pick up a copy of Presto & Zesto in Limboland on Amazon or support an independent bookstore like Battenkill Books in New York.
For more information about the Maurice Sendak Foundation, visit www.SendakFoundation.org.
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
In honor of the September 4th release of Presto & Zesto in Limboland, I’m sharing my favorite chocolate cake recipe of all time: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.
Chocolate cake has been my dessert of choice since childhood, and Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake is the best of them all! (You could use this recipe to make our Chocolate Pumpkin Cake for an awesome fall treat too!)
Watch this quick 1-minute video recipe demo below, then keep reading for a free printable copy at the bottom of the post.
Why Mayonnaise?
The mayonnaise takes the place of the oil in a traditional chocolate cake recipe, and it adds extra flavor and moistness. I’ve tried a lot of different chocolate cake recipes in my lifetime, but Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake truly “takes the cake!” (All puns intended!)
TIP: Be sure to use regular mayonnaise, not light or fat free varieties.
Grab a Free Printable Copy of Our Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake Recipe:
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/3 cup water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup butter
- 4-5 cups powdered icing sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons cream
Instructions
To Bake the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease and flour two 8" circular pans and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and frothy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, mayonnaise and water and mix to combine fully.
- Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans and bake for 35-45 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the cake bounces back when tapped.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- To Make the Frosting
- Place the butter in a large bowl and add in 3 cups of the powdered icing sugar and the cocoa powder. Beat for two minutes before adding the remaining icing sugar, if desired.
- Add the vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of cream and incorporate fully.
- Add additional cream or icing sugar to achieve your desired consistency.
To Decorate
- Using an offset spatula, lay a thick 1/2" layer of frosting on the top of the bottom cake layer, and then sandwich the two layers together.
- Give the cake a crumb coat (light frosting layer to trap in crumbs) and let set for an hour, and then cover the cake with the remaining frosting.
Video
Notes
Be sure to pin our Chocolate Mayo Cake on Pinterest:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Maurice Sendak Foundation. The opinions and text are all mine.
More of our favorite chocolate cake recipes:
Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake
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