Heavenly Chocolate Cake in the ‘Real’ Bedford Falls

By Sandra Scott

Is Seneca Falls in upstate New York the “real” Bedford Falls of the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life? Many people think so. Seneca Falls is believed to be the inspiration for the movie because it is known that the director, Frank Capra, visited Seneca Falls. Plus, many of the names used in the movie are names familiar to the village. Most people point to the Bay Street Bridge, which looks just like the one in the film, where a plaque remembering a young man who jumped into the river to save a girl from drowning is thought to be the inspiration for Capra’s bridge scene in the film.

John and I decided to check it out. We took a self-guided walking tour to the sites that supposedly inspired parts of the movie.

One stop was the recently opened museum, It’s a Wonderful Life Museum, with a variety of memorabilia from the movie, much of which was donated by Karolyn Grimes, who played ZuZu, the young daughter of George Bailey. We became believers and wished we could return at holiday time when the town turns into Bedford Falls with parades and a ringing of the bells for all the angels who have received their wings.

We stayed at the newly remodeled and rebranded Hotel Clarence. The boutique hotel is located in the heart of Seneca Falls just a short walk to the all the important sites in the village. Next door is the Women’s Rights National Historic Park. Taking its inspiration from the film, the Hotel Clarence is named in honor of the angel in the classic holiday film. It’s a Wonderful Life is shown on the wall all day long in the lobby. So it is only logical that the hotel’s restaurant features Heavenly Chocolate Cake. And the chef was willing to share the recipe for his Heavenly Cake with us. It was so heavenly I am sure the chef and the hotel have earned their wings.
 

Heavenly Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla: beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Perfect Chocolate Cake Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Visit www.therealbedfordfalls.com and www.hotelclarence.com.

 
Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Creators Syndicate
and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos by J. J. Scott.

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