Family picnics, church potluck suppers, and bake sales during the 50’s and 60’s would always have at least one offering of a pan of Chocolate Puffed Wheat Cake. Although not as common now, it is still recognized as a traditional treat in many families…I’ve even seen it behind the glass case in some urban coffee shops.
And it is really a basic, standard, and simple recipe …. Not too complicated …
Well … that is what I thought until last year.
Who knew that chatting about a simple, uncomplicated recipe like Puffed Wheat Cake would be comparable to stirring up the proverbial hornet’s nest?
Last year, the whole family had travelled to southern Manitoba to celebrate Mom Helena’s 90th birthday. With a little extra time on our hands, sister Connie and I chanced upon Mom Helena’s cookbook. The recipe for Chocolate Puffed Wheat Cake caught our eye, and, with a cursory inventory of Mom’s kitchen cupboards, we realized that we could be re-living childhood memories before the afternoon ended. Little did we know that there would be two recipes in her book, one with somewhat of a different approach. As we quietly (we thought) scrutinized both approaches and conspired against the recipes, Mom Helena didn’t miss a syllable and clearly ruled from her rocking chair exactly how this cake should (and would) come together. …and being the good kids that we are, we followed her directions.
And now, a year later, we will again travel to Manitoba to celebrate her 91st birthday. Needless to say, rather than stirring up more trouble, I will be bringing the Chocolate Puffed Wheat Cake along with me.
Chocolate Puffed Wheat Cake
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 2 minutes
Yield: 10- 12 squares
Ingredients:
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (105 g) hard-packed golden brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) golden cane syrup or corn syrup
3 tablespoons (45 mL) cocoa powder, sifted
¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt
2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
6 cups Puffed Wheat cereal
Method:
- In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add both sugars, syrup, cocoa powder, and salt. Combine all ingredients and dissolve the sugars. Turn the heat to medium/high and bring the mixture to a full boil. Cook, at a boil, for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat; add vanilla.
- Pour cereal into a large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal and stir to thoroughly combine. Let the mixture cool slightly in the bowl before putting it into a pan – stir it up often. This will ensure that the chocolate mixture adheres to the cereal rather than settling at the bottom of the pan.
- Pack into an 8 x 8 buttered baking pan (use an 8 x 12 pan if you want the squares to be a little thinner). Let cool thoroughly and cut into large squares.
Questions and comments are always welcome alex@chilipeppersandpears.com
