Darn Good Chocolate Cake

That's really what it's called and I'm sure you will agree. My wonderful Granny Blanche gave me this cookbook a few years ago called The Cake Mix Doctor, there are several versions out now and I'd highly recommend any of them. All recipes start with a cake mix and you'd be amazed the variety of things you could make and the compliments you will get! People will swear you made it from scratch. I made this one for D's birthday last year and when my friend Dana started mentioning it recently I knew I wanted to surprise her with one for her birthday.

DARN GOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 package (18.25 oz) plain devil's food or dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1 box (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350* spray pans and dust with flour. You can choose any pan you like - 2 round pans, cupcake pans, bundt pan, etc. Just adjust baking time according to cake mix package directions.

Mix all ingredients (except chocolate chips) in a large mixing bowl with electric blender on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl, increase speed to medium and beat 2 to 3 minutes until batter is thick and well combined. Fold in chocolate chips, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Pour batter into prepared pans and place in oven.

Bake according to directions on package for pan size you are using. When done it should spring back when lightly pressed with your finger and is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks 20 mins. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen it from the pan, invert onto rack and cool completely. Or serve it warm.

I like to pair it with this easy and delicious frosting...

WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

6 oz white chocolate coarsely chopped (use bar chocolate, not chips)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temp
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, room temp
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Melt white chocolate over low heat in a saucepan or in a glass bowl on medium in the microwave, stirring often. Beat cream cheese and butter on low speed until well combined, add melted white chocolate and blend on low 30 seconds. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and blend on low speed, once combined increase speed and blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute more. Frost cake and store frosted cake in refrigerator until serving time.

For simple garnish/decoration I use my Olive Garden-style cheese grater to turn out the tiny little chocolate shavings. Also, I always use light sour cream and 1/3 less fat cream cheese and no one notices the difference.