Cocoa Fudge Cake

*Disclosure: I received complimentary copy of the The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook for participating in this event.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links.

Are you a Mad Men fan?

With the premiere of the final season coming up on April 5^th, I’ve partnered with The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook to Party Like a Mad Man!

I’ve channeled my inner 1960’s housewife, donned some pearls and a beehive ‘do, and got to work creating a Mad Men inspired dinner, sure to please any guest!

My Mad Men inspired meal starts off with an appetizer of Deviled Eggs (with just a dash of sriracha for a modern spicy twist!)  Next comes the salad course, with a delightful tossed salad (though a traditional Caesar is delicious if you have no fear of anchovies and raw egg yolks.)

The men in my life prefer meat and potatoes above all else, so the main course features cheesy scalloped potatoes (lightened up for the conscientious lady) and Steaks with Whiskey Sauce.  Did I mention the martinis served with every course?  Guests can’t go thirsty, you know.

And finally, the pièce de résistance: an enchanting Cocoa Fudge Cake!

The cake is rich and velvety and the perfect endnote to this little dinner party, especially with a side of Irish Coffee!  

I decorated this delicious cake with maraschino cherries as a nod to the era (and video game fans may also recognize it as the cake from Portal 2 …the cake is a lie.)

So concludes my Mad Men inspired dinner party!  I do hope you had a wonderful time!

Cocoa Fudge Cake

Adapted from The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook , originally from Betty Crocker's new boys and girls cook book

½ cup + 1/3 cup all purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup buttermilk

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line three 4-inch round pans with parchments circles and spray with non stick spray.

Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low to mix.

Add the butter, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Mix on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg and mix for an additional 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack.  Then invert and cool completely on wire racks.

Once cooled, frost with chocolate frosting and garnish with whipped cream and maraschino cherries.