Serving Up {Cake}: Darn Good Chocolate Cake

I had a birthday 10 days ago and my daughter made my birthday cake!  A moist, delicious, rich chocolate cake with a chocolate glaze....how spoiled am I?

This cake recipe is all over the internet but I want to lay claim to it before it was an internet success.  My mom had this recipe clipped from a newspaper article printed at least 12 years ago, maybe longer (long before food blogs either way).  I know it's age because she used this very cake recipe to make a dessert cake for the luncheon at my brother's wedding.  I have also taken it to two weddings myself now as the wedding cake for two of my sister-in-laws.  I can't claim that I know how to decorate a cake (and just for the record, I am retired from wedding cakes) but I can claim that the cake, at both weddings, was a hit on the flavor-meter.

But don't save this cake for some fancy occasion.  It is super quick to whip together and delicious enough to fool anyone who doesn't know better into thinking you slaved over it.

Wedding Cake #1: recipe for cake as written, topped with chocolate ganache and fresh berries

Wedding Cake #2: recipe for cake as written, topped with a white chocolate cream and then caramel drizzle

(photo from the amazing Kate Maxwell Photography)

One Year Ago: Coconut Chex Mix

DARN GOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE     
printable version

1 18-ounce chocolate fudge cake mix
1 4-serving size box instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking pan by  greasing and dusting with flour - can use a 12-cup bundt pan, a 13x9 baking pan or two 9-inch round baking pans.

Combine all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a large mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix for 1 minutes.  Stop the beaters and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase mixer speed to medium and mix for 2-3 minutes.  The batter will be thick but should be well combined.  Fold in chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.

Baking time varies based on the size of pan you are using.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.
Bundt pan; bake for 50-60 minutes.
13x9 pan; bake for 35 mintues.
Two 9" round pans; bake for 25 minutes.