Beer and Kraut Cake

Cake

• ⅔ cups butter or margarine (151g)

• 1½ cups sugar (300g)

• 3 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)

• ½ cup cocoa (63 g)

• 2¼ cups flour (281g)

• 1 tsp baking powder (5 ml)

• 1 tsp baking soda (5 ml)

• ¼ tsp salt (1.25 ml)

• 1 cup beer (237 ml)

• ⅔ cup sauerkraut (158 ml)

1: Rinse, drain, and chop the sauerkraut, to the texture of chopped coconut.

2: Grease and flour two 9-inch (23 cm) baking pans.

1: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3: Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4: Sift together the dry ingredients, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with beer, beginning and ending with the dry. (A fourth the dry, a third the beer, repeat.)
5: Stir in the sauerkraut.
6: Turn batter into two greased and floured 9-inch (23 cm) baking pans.
7: Bake for 40 minutes or until cake tests done.
8: Cool on a rack, and frost with cream cheese frosting.

• 8 ounces sweet cooking chocolate, e.g., German's (227 g)

• 6 ounces softened cream cheese

• 2 Tbs light cream (30 ml)

• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

• ¼ tsp salt (1.25 ml)

• 1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)

1: Melt chocolate.
2: Cool slightly. Blend in cream cheese and cream.
3: Slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix well.
4: Add salt and vanilla.
5: Spread on cake.

If sweet cooking chocolate is not available, substitute 1½ cups cocoa, ½ cup of oil or shortening, and 11 Tbs sugar.

Handed down from generation to generation to generation. I got it from my mother, who got it from her mother, who got it from a neighbor, I think.

The chopped sauerkraut takes on the texture of chopped coconut.