The Heart of the Table | Generations & Legacy

The Lava Legacy

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I give a very special nod to my late mother-in-law, Mary Jane Morgan, and the legacy chocolate cake she passed down to me from her own mother, Irene Seeley. I remember traveling with my firstborn, Trey, to visit George’s parents back in September of 1979. Trey turned two on that visit! Mary Jane made chocolate cupcakes and turned them into little clowns using ice cream cones as hats and candies for their faces. Trey was absolutely delighted... but I noticed something funny going on in the kitchen.

My hubby, George, would sneak into the fridge and scoop a spoonful of leftover frosting from the bowl. Again and again and again!

Mary Jane eventually shared the recipe with me, and I’ve baked it for every birthday for every child and friend for years and years. I’ve made it as a sheet cake, a two-layer round cake, and a four-layer square cake. But there is a structural reality to this family heirloom...

"The frosting is so gooey that the more layers you try, the more the cake slides to one side or another... leaving it a tiered cake or, as my sons refer to it, the AVALANCHE cake!"

No matter how messy it looks, the cake is incredible. It’s dark, rich, and has a flavor all its own. The absolute secret ingredient is black walnut flavoring. McCormick produced this essence until ten or so years ago when it was suddenly dropped. Lovers of the cake would literally ransack their grandmothers' pantries for stored bottles of the stuff! We actually found quite a few that way.

Today, you can find a good selection of choices online, and I’ve tried them all. It works! This is truly our family’s legacy cake. I have adapted it slightly over the years to make it a little easier for the modern kitchen. Yes, it is a departure from the original... but I’m sure both Mary Jane and Irene will approve of the modernization.

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