Several months ago Charlotte sent me her recipe for mayonnaise cake. I thought it sounded really good, but never got around to making it until January.
I was cooking for a funeral and needed a dessert to go along with my meat and vegetable so I decided to give the cake a try.
The cake stuck to the pans and I had a terrible time getting it out. I just about gave up and threw the whole thing out, but I really needed a dessert.
I made a double recipe of the glaze/filling and used it to put the cake back together and prayed no one would notice. The crumbs I tasted told me it was so good that if anyone took a chance on eating the ugly cake they’d be glad they did.
I helped serve at the funeral so by the time I got a plate of food and went to sit down and eat other folks were already eating something sweet from the dessert table. I was thrilled to see most of my wonky cake had already been eaten.
As I ate a couple nearby me started talking about my cake. The wife told her husband “This is so good! You’ve got to go get you a little taste.”
I made the cake again last week. I used parchment paper in the bottom of my cake pans and the cakes came out in one piece. I was worried so I made an extra half recipe of the glaze/filling just in case I had to cement the cake back together again. It tastes so good I think I will do that from now on.
Here’s the recipe Charlotte shared with me.
Mayonnaise Cake
Preheat oven to 350°
Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups of sifted flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
Blend together and put aside.
Wet ingredients:
- 10 ounces milk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Before combining coat three 8 or 9 inch round pans with crisco (or whatever you prefer). Use some of the dry mix to coat the pans instead of just flour.
Combine wet & dry ingredients then pour equal amounts in the three pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Glaze/ Filling
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons coccoa
- 1/2 stick butter
While cake is baking, combine ingredients and stir on a medium to high heat. Stir continuously until filling thickens then put aside.
When cakes are done, while still warm, remove from pan (1 at a time) and put some of the filling, then repeat with 2nd and 3rd layer. Whatever you have left over put it on the top layer and let it drip off the sides. Cover in cake holder. The heat will draw the filling into the cake.
Enjoy. If I am asked to bring a dessert this is what they ask for.
If anyone thinks its gross to use mayonnaise, just remind them mayonnaise is made with oil and eggs so you’re just takin a short cut. Even my picky eaters love this cake.
Charlotte
The cake is so good! If you love chocolate you will love it.
When I used parchment paper I did not use the dry mixture to dust the pans.
I cooked the glaze/filling a good while before it thickened, and once it set for a few minutes it thickened even more.
The photo at the top of this post is from the second time I made the cake. I got my layers too close to the edge of the cake plate and was afraid to move them for fear of breaking them. It was a happy accident. I cut one small side of the cake off so the lid would go on the cake plate and Matt and I got to eat the extra cake 🙂
Last night’s video: Something We’ve Never Done.
Tipper
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I watched this mayonnaise cake be made and I made it the next day the only thing I did different was I made four layers in12-inch round pans and it’s absolutely amazing!!!! thankyou so much and God bless
what kind of mayo did you use?
🙂 Blue Plate
Thank you
my mom always made this mayonnaise cake but she always used cold coffee instead of milk and it is so moist and delicious
my grandma always called it depression cake.
this is how she made her cakes all the time. I sure miss her amazing cooking and baking!
I have a recipe for chocolate mayonnaise cake from my mother that is so moist and chocolatey. Her recipe called for it to be baked in a loaf pan. That is how I always made it as a loaf cake with maybe some powdered sugar on top.
Tipper I came home from dentist and made that cake….i halved it
And made full icing recipe……love it…already ate a piece!
Wonderful 🙂
I make peanut butter icing on mine.
This is one of the best cakes! I like to make it in a 9×13 Pyrex dish. It’s so moist. Delicious with vanilla cream!
Yummy! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
How long do you cook the cake when using 9×13 dish?
thank you everyone for praying for me and my brother, God bless you very much
Norman, may God comfort your brother. Praying for both of you.
im so sad for you..
nobody understands the pain of losing a sibling…ive lost 2…for me, it was deeper pain than any other death until i lost my daughter at age 41…ask for lots of hugs and share your tears whenever you can xo
Thanks for sharing this delicious looking cake. I also have to say my mom used to make a cooked delicious chocolate icing. Never had the recipe. Now I do thanks to you.
When I first saw the cake photo you posted, I thought I’d use the chocolate frosting recipe Mom used to make when I make it. For decades, I searched online for the recipe, asked all the older women back home if they remembered it, and wouldn’t you know, I found the recipe right here on the Blind Pig blog! I had given up finding it and decided it was another one of Mom’s homemade creations that was lost forever. As it turned out, it was not a recipe known only to my family; it was one of Pap’s favorite icings, too. Sadly, I don’t think it will work on this cake, as it is not thin enough to be drawn into the cake for added moisture.
Norman, I’m praying God will shower you and Bennie with extra blessings during this difficult time.
That cake sounds like it would be delicious and extra moist with the mayo. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Tipper. This brings back wonderful memories of my Mother making mayonnaise cake. She put a white icing on hers. Thank you for your videos. I look forward to each one.
Hey Betty, my mom is a Ryan (Tootsie) from a small town outside of Charleston, SC. Just curious if you are kin to any in that area.
Oh my that sounds so good! Do you have this recipe book (Dining on A dime Cookbook) I purchased this about 20 years ago. It kind of reminds me of crazy eggless chocolate cake. I will have to try this. It sounds delicious! Thank you for the share. Love your family ❤️
Tina, I don’t have that one 🙂
Never heard of this cake before. Wonder what the story is behind its appearance. That is one of the mysterious but wonderful things about recipes; seemingly infinite variations and new additions from millions of kitchens. They are a form of craftsmanship (or crafts woman-ship) that just keeps on happening. I know a more proper work is “chef” but I think the work “craft” is more comprehensive and true-to-life. Just to think on any given day all the “ingredients” of time, place, materials and ideas being blended together world over is plumb astonishing. I wish I could do it but I can’t. I can have ideas but not the skill.
I love mayonnaise, so I am sure this cake would be rich and delicious. Thank you for the recipe. I see snowflakes coming down outside my window. We may get a couple inches. Snow is beautiful this time of year…it can cover like a thick, white blanket and melt in a few hours. You can feel spring in the air!
Prayers for Norman’s brother and Norman as he ministers to him
thank you Richard, God bless you very much
The first time I made a mayonnaise cake was probably 60 years ago when I was in junior high–it was the ‘new thing’ in cake baking and turned up in all the women’s magazines so mama cut out one of them and we started cooking it maybe once or twice a month for our Sunday dessert. I don’t know it is same as this recipe, the icing is different in that no cornstarch was in ours. It is such a good cake and the picture of yours makes me want to make one soon.
I had my heart cath done last Monday and it came back with no blockages significant enough to have to do anything about (10, 20, and 30 per cent in two arteries). I have a follow up with cardiologist next Monday and will find out if the COPD they tell me I have could be what is causing the electrical issues with my heart since it isn’t a severe blockage. Thank you for yesterday’s post of Granny and Paul-what a great way for me to start my Sunday – an old old hymn….I find it amazing that with the brain issues I have that make my memory less than stellar I almost always can remember all the words to old hymns (any old old song actually). Remember a video you did about a head stone at a church (maybe it was Benjamin Harrison Wilson) I finally remembered to get on Family Search to see if we were related and if I remember correctly he is my 9th cousin…..I will double check that but I think that was the results. I can’t believe it has already been a month since Granny went Home—still praying for you and your family.
Gaylia, I’m glad there were no severe blockages. I hope they figure out what is going on. I will keep praying! Love the connection between our families 🙂
gayla, I have been through the cath lab so many times that I now get frequent flyer points :).
You are lucky to have no greater blockages hant you do. On my first trip I had 90% blockage in the LAD. I now have 6 stints and can have no more.
Don’t worry if you have to have more cath procedures and stints placed. You won’t even know they are there.
My grandmother and my mom used to make this cake all the time! It is truly so moist and good! I haven’t thought about it in years- so thanks for posting as I will be making it soon!
Mom made mayo cake a lot when we were kids. Haven’t thought about it in a long time. It is really a good moist cake. Thanks Tipper!
Sounds delicious! I have three birthdays coming up in the month of March and I am going to give this cake a try for one of the birthday dinners I will prepare. I know the family will love it! Thank you for sharing!
I haven’t made a mayonnaise cake in some time but have the recipe. I was told it originated during World War II when things were rationed, and eggs were hard to get. Thanks for sharing, Tipper.
Mayonnaise was also rationed during WW2. Eggs and oil, the two main ingredients in mayonnaise, were almost unavailable.
I can’t wait to try this cake. I have made biscuits with mayonnaise and they were good. Through the years I have repaired wonky cakes with extra icing many times, whatever works!
My dad’s mother always made us a mayonnaise cake when we went to visit her, but she made it in a 9×13 pan with white icing. More of a wacky cake, I guess.
Sounds and looks delish!
Morning everyone. Yes mayonnaise cakes are really good. Many years ago, when the kids were little, I used to bake a lot of cakes. So I had the opportunity to try out ingredients. I made mayonnaise so I knew what the ingredients were. The cakes turned out moist. Butter tastes good but I think they turn out drier. I used to add blackberry jam to some of my cakes. It didn’t really change the taste, but it made them really good. Years later I heard about jam cakes. I don’t bake much any more. One son is in California and the other is here with me but doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth. I want to try this recipe, I will probably do my usual, put half in the freezer for later.
It looks delicious! When my brother was a teenager in the ‘70’s, he and a friend learned how to make a chocolate mayonnaise cake…double layers & so moist and delicious! I almost forgot about that until I read your post!
I am an odd ball, I have never cared for chocolate cake. Did you use Dukes mayonnaise? In the south using any other brand is a SIN! I may have to give up on Dukes, Saturday, Food Lion was wanting $6 for a quart jar- I think a quart jar may now be 30 ounces. Ain’t 10 ounces about 1 1/4 cups.
Walmart has 30 ounce Dukes Mayo advertised for $4.98
I’ve never been a fan of chocolate, I’ve always preferred white chocolate. However, as I’ve gotten older I love chocolate now. I still prefer the white but brown is good to me now. I might just try this one, it looks good and your recommendation makes me want to try.
Mayonnaise cake is so good! I will have to see if there’s any difference in this recipe and the one I have. I might have to make this for our gathering in a few weeks. I need a good dessert and these are always good!
We celebrated my husband’s 60th birthday yesterday. We went to a restaurant that used to be a grain mill. I remember the feed mill as it once was, so it was really neat to see it now. Our family is growing and our newest grandson is due this month. It was so nice to go out together and be served. That is very rare for us as we always gather at home and pitch in. I think we all enjoyed it.
Many blessings to all y’all!
Debbie I’m glad he had a good birthday 😉
good morning and God bless you, my brother has recently spent some time at Emory hospital at Johns Creek, between Dahlonega and Atlanta, 30 tumors have been found on his head, please pray for my brother, please pray for me, he will be coming home on palliative care, no treatment, his choice, God bless you friends and thank you very much
Norman I’m so sorry. I’m praying for you both.
thank you and God bless you very much, I took time to come back and read some comments today,
thank you Mary God bless you very much
Norman, Please accept my thoughts and prayers for your brother and your family as everyone deals with this sad news. I’m going for my bloodwork in an hour in preparation for my 2nd round of chemo, tomorrow (this go ’round) as cancer has reoccurred 2 years after dealing with and beating it. Cancer is so unpredictable and can just wear folks out as they choose to fight or accept this enemy. Again, I hope you all feel our prayers ♡
God bless Kim with healing and health in Jesus name, thank you for praying for my brother, I’m sorry you deal with it also God bless you very much
So sorry to hear what your brother is enduring ❤️
thank you Mary God bless you very much
Oh Norman, I know this is not the outcome you hoped for. I am so sorry. I am praying for you and your brother Bennie.
God bless you Allie,
God bless you very much
Sounds delicious! I’ve heard of mayonnaise cake, as well as a chocolate cake made with avocado instead of oil, I’ll definitely be giving this a try. I use a short cut biscuit recipe from the Duke’s Mayo website that turns out more like a dinner roll than a breakfast biscuit and even my non mayonnaise eating family members love them!