Malted Milk Cake

[Granny Smith]

Malted Milk Cake

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. Original Malt Ovaltine
1-2 T. cocoa or carob powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 c. water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T. vinegar
1 t. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour (or just grease or spray) 9"x13" baking pan. If cupcakes are preferred, grease or line with paper liners, 36 cupcake tins.

In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

Beat with spoon or wire whisk just until batter is smooth and ingredients are well-blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes (15-20 minutes for cupcakes) or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan. Frost if desired.

Frosting

Double this recipe for cupcakes

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. Original Malt Ovaltine
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 t. cocoa or carob powder
pinch of salt
1/2 t. vanilla extract
milk (about a tablespoon or two)

Blend butter, Ovaltine, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract together with electric beater (or spoon) until blended. Add milk, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until frosting is of spreading consistency.

[Valerie]

I believe this cake would be the death of me! I still remember drinking my very first chocolate malt, and that has been something I've loved ever since (and I was only 3 or 4).

[Granny Smith]

Chocolate malts are one of the things I miss about not being able to have chocolate. Those and peanut butter milkshakes were the only shakes I liked. I can't tell you how happy I was to find out that original malt Ovaltine doesn't contain any chocolate or cocoa! I'll be buying it all the time now.

This cake is reminiscent of a chocolate malt, especially the frosting. This was one frosting where I didn't ask who wanted to lick the bowl. I did it myself.

[Valerie]

Oh, why do you do this to me! I didn't know Ovaltine had no cocoa in it! Dang, I'm gonna have to get some now. It makes the best hot chocolate.

I remembered the first time I had a chocolate malt was when I went somewhere with my dad when I was about 4. I remember him getting it for me and sitting me up at a counter on a barstool to drink it. The place was empty, and I thought it was the bowling alley. Mama told me recently that it was on Christmas Eve, and that was the year Daddy bought her a bowling ball. We still lived in MI, then. Daddy put me up there to wait while the guy was drilling the holes in the ball.

[Granny Smith]

You must have REALLY liked that chocolate malt to remember that, but not connect it with Christmas! LOL

[Valerie]

It was like the best thing I had ever tasted up to that point, and anytime I taste malt powder it brings back that same memory! I just didn't really know where that happened. Crazy huh?

[Granny Smith]

It's funny. I have memories like that. I remember the part that made the biggest impression, but the details fall away. The older I get, the harder it is to find people who remember and can fill in the details.

[Valerie]

Today I remembered another reason that malt was so memorable. I got to drink it all by myself and John wasn't there for me to have to share it with! At that point, we usually had to share just about everything. It was still several years before he figured out that if he spit in the drink he could have the whole thing.

[Granny Smith]

EEEWWW!! Boys can be so nasty! (especially brothers)

[BigM]

Hey yall!

[Granny Smith]

Hey, M!

[BigM]

lol, I think I left the forum up and DS posted that. Hehehe, what a card!

BigM

[Valerie]

LOL, M, that's cute.

[Valerie]

Only three more days til I get to make this cake!

[Granny Smith]

You're making it for Thanksgiving? What if you don't like it?