Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Now a grandmother, Colleen Giles first sniffed out her chocolate cake recipe when she was just 24, living with her husband in an apartment complex in Washington, DC. The smell of chocolate cake throughout the
building inspired her to literally follow her nose until she found it. So she knocked on doors until she did. When she finally found the source, it was an immigrant woman from an Eastern European country whose home had literally disappeared off the map after World War II. But she invited Colleen in for cake and shared her recipe, which Colleen then passed down to her daughters and granddaughters.
It started with Colleen’s dad, who loved to have chocolate cake for his birthday. With her new-found amazing chocolate cake recipe, she made cake for him that year, and now the tradition has transcended three generations. Her daughter, Wendy Ellis, has had the cake every birthday of her life, and Wendy’s three daughters—Ellie (19), Maggie (16) and Katie (14)—have enjoyed the family tradition since their very first birthdays. There are pictures of Katie with the special mixing bowl on her head, which apparently they all used to fight over when their heads were still small enough to fit inside the bowl to lick the batter.
Whether it’s in Millersville, Maryland, where Colleen and her husband Bob live, or Millersville, Pennsylvania, where her daughter Wendy and her husband Bob live, this infamous family chocolate cake recipe bridges the miles and generations. In fact, in various circumstances, “that chocolate cake” has made birthday appearances in all parts of the country while the family traveled.
During the summer of 1983, daughter Wendy’s first away from home, Colleen sent her the dry ingredients and instructions for the wet ingredients so she could have her special birthday cake. Another year, Wendy’s sister-in-law made the cake while they were out west, a memory her daughters fondly recall. “Maybe I should take the dry ingredients to India with me next week,” laughs Colleen, who is planning a trip to visit her other daughter there. She’s pretty serious. These gals are definitely serious about this cake. And for good reason.
It’s incredibly moist, with a whole cup of milk and a cup of coffee. And it’s not overly sweet, due to a slight bitterness from the coffee. “It’s perfect every time,” says Wendy. Except for the time her sister Melissa made it with a cup of coffee grounds instead of brewed coffee for her ninth birthday. They’ve also learned that skim milk doesn’t work, and the coffee has to be cool. “Just like any baked good, you want to use the best ingredients,” explains Bob Ellis.
They’ve had a lot of practice. The Ellis family guesses they make it at least 10 times a year. Wendy adds, “Any occasion is perfect for this cake.”
“That Chocolate Cake”
(AKA Mom’s Incredible Chocolate Cake) Recipe courtesy: Colleen Giles Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder ¾ cup cocoa Wet ingredients: 1 cup brewed coffee, cooled 1 cup milk (evaporated works best; do not use skim) 2 eggs ½ cup oil 1 tsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another. Combine and blend. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Icing “for birthdays” 1 cup sugar 1 egg 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate 2 Tbs evaporated milk or 1 Tbs milk
Mix and bring to a boil. Stir constantly. Remove from heat when boiling. Add 2 tsp instant coffee or ½ tsp vanilla, if desired.
