I Need CHOCOLATE

That sudden overwhelming urge comes over me.  I need chocolate and soon.  Ever have that feeling?  So, I asked Dan if he would eat something chocolate if I made it and without hesitation he replied "Yes!"
You know what that means?  Get out the baking stuff.

To me there is something so comforting about baking.  Measuring and mixing.  It makes me happy.  I baked my first cake from scratch when I was 10.  Yes, it was lopsided but good.  No one refused to eat it.  Well, it's Friday night and we need a treat so I am going to share the easiest cake recipe in the world with you.  Really.  It's so easy.

I always keep a few cake mixes in the pantry for emergencies and this is an emergency.  We need chocolate.....soon.  Here is the recipe and I bake it in a bundt pan.  You can bake it in a 9x13 if you want.  I just like the way it looks from a bundt pan.  Remember the scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding about the "boont" cake?  Still makes me laugh.  Anyway, here it is

1 chocolate cake mix
2 large eggs
1 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling

Yup, that's it.  Now mix them all together until there is no shiny egg showing or dry cake mix.  At this point, I spray my non-stick bundt pan with cooking spray just so the cake doesn't stick. Now, you can put the cake mix in the pan and spread evenly.  This is where you and I may part ways.  I  like to doctor my cake up a bit.  I add:

1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, whichever I have on hand.

As Emeril says, we just took it up a notch...or two.

Mix any or all of the above ingredients into the cake mix and NOW pour it in the pan.  You may not like coconut, or nuts, or chocolate chips, or like us you may like all three.  It's your choice.   Bake at 350
until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes.  Let the cake cool and turn it onto a plate.  I put mine on my cake stand because it looks pretty.  Now, you can dust it with confectioner's sugar OR you can make a chocolate glaze first......which I do.  This is how you do it:

2 TBSP butter in small saucepan
approx. 1/2  cup confectioner's sugar
2 heaping TBSPs unsweetened cocoa
1 TBSP of milk at a time

Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon so it doesn't burn.  Add confectioner's sugar, cocoa and 1 TBSP of milk.  Stir to combine all ingredients until it is chocolate in appearance and all lumps have disappeared.  Add just a little milk if necessary, like a tsp at a time.  The glaze needs to be pourable, not too thick.  When it is the desired consistency, remove pan from stove.

Pour chocolate glaze over the cake.  Dust with confectioner's sugar.  I use my tea strainer and put a couple teaspoons full of confectioner's sugar in it, rub the edge of the spoon back and forth over the sugar moving the strainer around the cake.  It looks like snow falling on your cake.  There is more control this way than if you use a sifter.  Or, you may have a shaker container that you fill with sugar and shake it on the cake.  Any of these ways will work.

Now, it's time to dig in.  This dense chocolaty cake is wonderful with a hot cup of coffee, a glass of cold milk, with ice cream or without.  However you like to eat it.  Any way will do and any way is delicious!

This is a good "go to" recipe when you need a cake in an emergency.  I have also made it with yellow cake mix which is delicious too.  It's your decision.  I just know it is quick and easy and especially great for a chocolate emergency.

This is also a great picnic cake which you could take to a Memorial Day gathering next weekend. You could even make cupcakes to take.  Everyone loves cupcakes.   I may make this and some good homemade vanilla ice cream to take to a gathering we are going to attend.  Or maybe a strawberry dream cake, or strawberry shortcake, or whatever strikes my fancy next weekend.  Anyway, give this recipe a try and I hope you will enjoy it.

Everyday Donna

Things to remember:

Love is all there is.