devilishly good chocolate cake

I have tried a few different recipes from my "The Cake Mix Doctor" cookbook and they have all been wonderful. I was thinking about it and I haven't tried any chocolate cake recipes from here, so I thought I'd give it a try. I was sure they'd be wonderful and fool-proof. And they delivered! They are so very yummy and chocolatey and moist. Write this one down!

Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake

Recipe from: the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients:

1 square (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 c. water

1 package (18.25 oz) plain devils food cake mix

1 package (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix

4 large eggs

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Pan Frosting (see below)
*I actually used my cream cheese frosting recipe because I LOVE cream cheese frosting.

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 12 cup bundt pan with nonstick spray, the dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set pan aside.

2. Cupcakes? Fill 2 cupcake pans with cupcake papers and set aside. 

3. Place the chopped chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until the chocolate is melted, 3-4 minutes.  Set aside.

4. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Fold in the melted chocolate. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2-3 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (or muffin cups), smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan(s) in the oven.

5. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 45-50 minutes. (Cupcakes: 19-22 minutes.) Remove the pan(s) from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to complet cooing, 20 minutes more.

6. Meanwhile, prepare your frosting. This recipe recommends the Chocolate Pan Frosting. (See below). Transfer the cake to a serving platter and spread the warm frosting over the cooled cake with clean, smooth strokes. Let the frosting set for 20 minutes, then slice and serve. 

Note: Store this cake, covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 4 days. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil for 4-6 months. Thaw the cake overnight on the counter before serving. 

Chocolate Pan Frosting

This is a simple cooked chocolate frosting, perfect for brownies, layer cakes, and chocolate sheet cakes. 

Yield: 4 cups, enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake

Ingredients:

8 T (1 stick) butter

4 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 c whole milk

4 c powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cocoa powder and milk. Let the mixture come just to a boil, stirring, and the remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the powdered sugar until the frosting is thickened and smooth. 

2. Pour the warm frosting over the top of a cooled cake of your choice, spreading it with a spatula so that it reaches all sides of the cake. Work quickly because this frosting goes on best while still warm.