Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet Recipes

Aunt Lora’s Cake

This is the famous chocolate cake of Miss Lora St. Laurent, the sister of former prime minister Louis S. St-Laurent.

Origin: Louis St Laurent National Historic Site
Region: Quebec
Period: 20th century - present
Course: Desserts and Baked Goods

Aunt Lora's Cake is the famous chocolate cake of Miss Lora St. Laurent, the sister of former prime minister Louis S. St-Laurent. The granddaughters of Mr. St-Laurent still have fond memories of their aunt’s cake. This cake was so delicious it was well-known throughout the village of Compton, the former prime minister’s birthplace.

Aunt Lora’s Cake

Ingredients

• Cake
  • ½ cup | 125 g of butter
  • 1 cup | 260 g sugar
  • 1 cup | 250 ml sour cream
  • 1 tsp | 5 g baking soda
  • 2 tsp | 10 g cream of tartar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup | 140 ml of walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cups | 215 g of Five Roses flour
  
  
• Chocolate glaze
  • 2 cups | 500 g sugar
  • 1 cup | 250 g of butter
  • 1 cup | 250 g cocoa
  • 1 cup | 250 ml milk

Directions

• Cake
  • Cream together butter and sugar. Add the eggs and sour cream and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. Add the nuts and mix gently. Spread in a greased 10" bundt pan or square cake pan. Bake at 350°F (180° C) until a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
  
  
• Chocolate glaze:
  • Cook all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat until just before a boil; let simmer until slightly thickened. Take off the heat and stir until smooth, about 20 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 235°F (180° C).

Credits

Recipe tested by Chef Tony Bond and Chef David Fairbanks, Algonquin College of Hospitality and Tourism