Oh Darn, Chocolate Cake Again

I was "raised" making pies, I loved making pies, my dad loved eating pies.

I learned the art of pie crusts...

I perfected the apple pie...

The berry pie...

The chocolate pie...

The pumpkin pie...

....

and then I married a cake man...

I tired to make cake from scratch for a few years...and it can be done...

the flour must be perfect...

the milk must be the right temperature...

the eggs must look just right...

and if the wind is blowing north...

the cake will turn out just...just okay...

Then I discovered a wonderful book...I saw it on Good Morning America and told my mom I wanted it for a birthday or Christmas or something...

The Cake Mix Doctor, by Ann Bryn...it's the best book ever written (aside from the Bible)

http://www.cakemixdoctor.com

So, yes...I now make...

Cakes out of a box!  (gasp)

But they've been doctored....

This is a recipe that originally came from The Cake Mix Doctor, but I have since doctored it a little myself so I feel it's okay to share one of Ann's recipes since I've modified it some...

~~~~~~

Darn Good Chocolate Cake

1 box Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix

1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (I get the sugar free)

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream (I use low fat)

2 Tbs Cocoa powder

1/2 cup warm coffee (or warm water)

1/2 cup melted butter (or oil)

2 cups semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and spray cake pans*.

2.  Mix everything but the chocolate chips together for 1 minute, scrap down sides of  bowl, mix on med speed for another 2-3 minutes (I set my timer, 3 minutes is a lot longer than you'd think), then fold in the chocolate chips, and pour into cake pan(s).

3.  Follow baking directions off of back of box according to the cake pan size you are using.  Cool for 10 minutes in pan(s), then remove from pan and continue to cool before frosting.

*when I'm using 8" or 9" rounds I also cut a circle of wax/parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the pan and line the pan with it, spraying the pan after I put the wax paper in.

frost with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temp.

1/4 cup baking cocoa

3-4 cups powder sugar

2 tea vanilla

1/4-1/2 cup milk

Cream butter and cocoa together, add vanilla, slowly add sugar and milk alternating back in forth, until you've reached the desired consistency.

~~~

Changes you can make...

if you want a Grasshopper Cake omit coffee and use 2 tea of mint extract added to a 1/2 cup of warm water, chop up Andies mints and use those instead of chocolate chips and use the mint extract in the frosting rather than vanilla, and top the cake with a few Andies mints for decoration...

for a Mocha Cake, add 2 Tbl of instant coffee granules to the cake mix and for a crazy kick omit chocolate chips and use chocolate covered espresso beans...for frosting omit the vanilla and mix together 2 tea of instant coffee with 2 tea of warm water and add to frosting, decorate the top with chocolate covered espresso beans (maybe in the shape of a coffee mug)...

~~~~~~~