Eat Cake

I have a confession.

I prefer the taste of boxed-cake-mix cake to made-from-scratch cake.

I know. It goes against everything I think good food should be. But there it is.

Could it be that I have not found the right cake recipe? Sure. But nothing beats the ease of that box when you are planning a birthday party, headed to a church event, or want to welcome a new neighbor.

I made this cake for a neighborhood potluck a few weeks ago, and received far more compliments and requests for recipes than I would have had I slaved over a from scratch cake. I feel like a counterfeit accepting compliments that are really intended for Duncan Hines, but I smile and say, "Thank you," in all my fraudulence.

So, in order to come clean, I'll share it with you.

Chocolate Cake (adapted from several different recipes... all with more creative names)

• 1 package devil's food cake mix
• 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 bag (or 2 cups) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. Pour batter into a well greased bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes (or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar. Or make a nice ganache - but then you've lost your "easy."


And more cake...

My friend Amy posted a from scratch chocolate cake I'd really like to try. It looks amazing. Maybe it will change my thoughts about cake mix. Maybe she will make me one next time I see her? : )

Also, Mary Katharine posted a recipe for a very similar cake. Her version has milk, no oil, and no sour cream. Hmm... even easier.

Anyone else think it's funny that my last post was all about veggies and healthy eating? Grin.