Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

[connie]

Many years ago I distinctly remember an episode of Blue Peter (kids show) that showed how to make a chocolate cake with mayonnaise. I remember being amazed at the time and we wrote off to the show to the recipe and indeed we made it and it made a very nice moist cake. A few years ago I came across the recipe again...

This recipe is technically dairy free (assuming your mayonnaise is dairy free - which it should be!) but obviously not vegan.

Ingredients
250g/9oz self raising flour
1½ tsp baking powder
4tbsp cocoa powder
100g/3½oz hazelnuts (optional)
225g/8oz light muscovado sugar (this is a light brown version of it, rather than a dark brown, but any light brown soft sugar will be fine)
200g/7oz mayonnaise (low calorie will work)
225ml/8fl oz boiling water
1tsp natural vanilla essence

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4
• Line a 20cm (8inch) loose bottomed, deep cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
• Stir in the hazelnuts (if using), sugar, mayonnaise, boiling water and vanilla essence and mix well until thoroughly combined.
• Pour the batter into the tin, and base for 50 minutes until rise or a skewer/knife comes out clean.
• Allow the cake too cool in the tin for around 10 minutes before removing.

 

[Trellum]

Thanks for sharing! I think I had heard about using mayo for a cake before, but I thought it'd taste funny! I read (in this same forum) that the cake turned out so moist and nice when mayo was used, but to be honest I haven't dare to try that out, not yet. I might try this recipe out one of these days tho I have a lot muscavado sugar at home All excepting the self raising flour.

 

[Tina Nord]

Hmmm, I am not so sure about a mayonaise cake, but I will take your word for it that it would taste good. My thought would be that it would taste too salty, but I bet it would be moist. If this thread would have been about Miracle Whip cake, I would have promptly closed it, I can't stand Miracle Whip!

 

[Zyni]

Ugh, Miracle Whip. Just no.

I think Trellum is referring to me talking about substituting mayo for the eggs and oil in a cake. I'm pretty sure it was this forum that I talked about it. It doesn't taste salty to me. It dramatically changes the cake though. The texture is different, and it is so moist, sometimes I have to use less mayo than recommended so it won't be TOO moist. I didn't even know too moist was a thing.

The idea wasn't appealing to me at first either, but I ended up trying it in a pinch. It works great. Then, I used it a few more times to use up some off-brand mayo that I didn't much care for.

So, I would say, go for it and try the recipe that Connie posted if you have been curious. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

I love mayonnaise and I am sure I will like this idea of having mayonnaise for making a chocolate cake especially if it will make the cake moist. Based on your testimonies I must give this cake a try and I'm sure its gonna be yummy!

 

[connie]

@Tina Nord I'm not sure why you would think it would taste too salty. I don't find mayonnaise in the slightest bit salty and I hate salt with a vengeance. At least not with mayonnaise we get in the UK. The last thing mayonnaise is is salty imo. After all it is pretty much oil and eggs in its basic state, so there is no reason as to why it can not be used in a cake! It is simply acting as the fat and eggs in the ingredients.

USA ingredients
Soybean Oil, Water, Whole Eggs And Egg Yolks, Vinegar, Salt, Sugar, Lemon Juice, Calcium Disodium EDTA (used to protect quality), Natural Flavors

UK Ingredients
Rapeseed oil (78%), water, pasteurised free range egg & egg yolk (7.9%), spirit vinegar, salt, sugar, flavouring, lemon juice concentrate, antioxidant (calcium, disodium EDTA).

@Trellum apologies, I'm in the UK, Self-raising flour equates to the American all-purpose flour I believe.

 

[Zyni]

Actually, we just call it self-rising flour instead of self-raising. All-purpose flour is just plain flour and won't rise on its own.

I agree, when you really think about it, substituting mayo for eggs and oil makes sense, since it is eggs and oil. It just sounds strange to people at first, since mayo is generally used for salads and sandwiches. In the US at least, we are always warned about keeping mayo cold as well. It's different when you cook with it though. The warnings are against allowing mayo salads and such to sit out for too long.

 

[connie]

Actually, we just call it self-rising flour instead of self-raising. All-purpose flour is just plain flour and won't rise on its own.

useful to know, thank you. I will have to go back and correct the recipes I have put in incorrectly!

 

[Trellum]

Actually, we just call it self-rising flour instead of self-raising. All-purpose flour is just plain flour and won't rise on its own.

I always use all purpose flour for everything No problems at all! I use it for cookies and cakes, but again I use something to help me fluff up my baked gods. Over here self-raising flour isn't so popular, no idea why, but it's kinda hard to come by.

 

[Zyni]

I always use all purpose flour for everything No problems at all! I use it for cookies and cakes, but again I use something to help me fluff up my baked gods. Over here self-raising flour isn't so popular, no idea why, but it's kinda hard to come by.

I buy both if I'm going to be doing a lot of baking, like during the holidays. For everyday, I just stick with the good old all-purpose kind. I have baking powder, baking soda, salt and whatnot at all times anyway.

@connie no problem. I'm still trying to sort out some of the different stuff too. I really get lost on metric measurements, but I found a calculator online that translates the amounts.

 

[H.C. Heartland]

I just wanted to confirm that I have made this cake successfully several times. It comes out very moist and rich. You don't taste the mayonnaise at all! I would highly recommend it. Especially for those days when you are low on butters and oils. The mayo replaces these nicely. Sometimes a supermarket has a sale and then it makes it worth it.

 

[Trellum]

I buy both if I'm going to be doing a lot of baking, like during the holidays. For everyday, I just stick with the good old all-purpose kind. I have baking powder, baking soda, salt and whatnot at all times anyway.

@connie no problem. I'm still trying to sort out some of the different stuff too. I really get lost on metric measurements, but I found a calculator online that translates the amounts.

Same here, I always have baking soda and powder at home Those two things are very basic at home, specially the baking soda... I use it when I boil veggies (ie broccoli and green french beans), it makes them look so fresh and green! Never fails!