My Chocolate Cake is Better Than Your Chocolate Cake

Tomorrow is World Chocolate Day!  And who doesn't like a little chocolate?  

Ok.. sure, I know not everyone likes chocolate.  But for the rest of us, who know a good thing when we see it (kidding!!) - I thought I would share my favorite chocolate cake recipe.  This starts with a basic devil's food cake boxed mix, making it super simple.  It builds from there, making it into something extraordinarily decadent!

My son requests this cake almost every year for his birthday. Which is about the only time I make it. It is so rich and chocolate-y, I can only handle once a year. (Maybe twice.)

Be sure to serve it with a side of vanilla ice cream or a glass of cold milk!

Over-The-Top Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a bundt pan with vegetable oil and flour or baking spray
2. Blend cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  Scrape down the side of the bowl. Mix on medium for 2 to 3 minutes until well blended.
3.  Fold in both types of chocolate chips until well distributed
4.  Pour batter into the pan, smoothing the top
5.  Place on middle oven rack and bake 50 to 55 minutes - or until done
6.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan
7.  Once the cake is cool, melt chocolate frosting in microwave and slowly pour it over cake

What's your favorite cake?  Let me know in the comments!  

Friday Favorites: For Your Sweet Tooth

Are you the kind of person who prefers salty or sweet treats?  I like a good salty, crunchy snack just as much as the next person.  But most of the time, I'm going to choose sweet over a salty.  Especially if there is chocolate involved. 

I recently discovered these Moser Roth Dark Orange Almond bars, and Oh. My. Goodness. 

Dark chocolate?  Yes, please.  Orange flavor.  Absolutely!  Almond bits?  Ok!  Orange and dark chocolate is such a delicious combination.  Just so good.  Are you familiar with those chocolate oranges that you get at Christmas?  The ones you smack on the table to break into bit sized "slices" for eating?  Similar to that - but even better.  And without having to beat it to death before you can enjoy it.  

The package looks like one big bar, but inside you'll find 5 individually wrapped singe-serving bars.  Perfect for a little treat with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.  

https://amzn.to/2W26krD

I found my bars at Aldi.  They carry several varieties of the Moser Roth bars.  All of the ones I have tried are delicious, but this is hands down my favorite.  I may, or may not, have a stash of them hidden away for when I am craving some chocolate.  

What's your favorite treat?



Disclaimer:  I have received no compensation for this post.  However, this post may contain affiliate links.  Keep in mind that I may receive commissions when you click these links and make purchases.  Be assured, this does not impact my reviews. All opinions expressed are my own. Your results may differ.  Moser Roth is not affiliated with this blog. 

Chocolate Stout Cake

Join me to day at "A Wise Woman Once Said..." where I am sharing how I made this yummy Chocolate Stout Cake (from a mix!)  

http://awisewomansaid.blogspot.com/2013/05/chocolate-stout-cake-from-mix.html

Today was Today

Some days just feel like they need a long string of curse words.  The Big Ones.  Even the queen mother of all curse words.  (you know the one I mean, I'm not gonna spell it out for you).  It may not even be that anything terrible has happened.  Or even that you're in a particularly bad mood or anything.  Some days just have that sort of a feeling to them.

Today was absolutely one of those days.  After not sleeping most of the night, I had to force myself to get out of be and go in search of a caffeine IV this morning.  Failing to find that particular delivery method, I settled for a cup of coffee.  The coffee didn't seem to help much. I still felt out of sorts and  discombobulated.  That sort of unsettled feeling lasted most of the day.

It was the sort of day to find a nice comfy hidey-hole and spend the day with a good book and a pitcher of iced tea.  (or margaritas, if you prefer)

A day to put on some music and soak in a bubble bath until the water turns cold and your toes are all pruney.

The sort of day to lose yourself in a box of chocolates.  Or a bag of cookies.

Some days just feel like "forget everything else and be nice to yourself" kind of days.  Or something like that. 

Today should have been one of those days.  Unfortunately, today was today.  And the To-Do list was a mile long. 

Maybe tomorrow I'll be nice to myself. 

What are ways you find to be nice to yourself?

A "Graeter" Ice Cream

When my dear friend over at Carano's Punk Rock Cucina recently blogged about Graeter's Ice Cream, I thought to myself:  "Sounds good.  Too bad it's not available around here"  So you can imagine my pleasure and surprise when the very next day I got an email from Earth Fare Supermarket with a coupon for a free pint of Graeter's with a $5 purchase!  It's as if the very universe was telling me I needed to try this ice cream.

After trying it, I have to say that: The universe was right!!

Being the coffee and chocolate obsessed gal that I am, I went straight for the Mocha Chocolate Chip

This ice cream is simply delicious!  Maybe it's their French Pot Process of making only 2 gallons at a time.  Maybe it's the all natural ingredients.  But whatever the reason - I consider it pure heaven in a cardboard container! 

The coffee flavor was perfect.  Strong without being bitter.  The ice cream was smooth and creamy.  The chocolate.  Oh... the chocolate!  I think they must grate the chocolate "chips" themselves.  The sizes varied and I even found a large chunk buried in the middle of my pint! 

I'm not ashamed to tell you that in the past two days I have eaten the entire pint all by myself... with apologies to the Man of the House and a promise to pick up more soon!

One Minute Wednesday: Day After

If the day after Valentine's Day were a holiday - I believe it would be "Indulgence Day".  One day to sit around eating all those Valentine goodies and enjoying the flowers and other presents you received on the day before!  Of course then the day after that would have to be "Get Back on Track Day" to recover from the over indulgence.

(Inspired by a prompt at The One-Minute Writer:   If the day after Valentine's Day was a holiday, what would it be called?)

When You Love Somebody

It's February.  And Valentine's Day is right around the corner.  The day of Love.  Hearts, cupids, flowers and chocolates run wild in every store.  And just so you know - Yes,  I can hear the groans from here.  The quiet grumbles of "made up holiday" and "why should I have to show my love on that day just because Hallmark says so", etc, etc, etc. 

And you're right.  Although it's roots go back to a religious day to observe St. Valentine - the more modern idea of Valentine's Day is pretty much a made up holiday.  And yes, the card companies and candy makers and florists are getting rich off the romantic madness.  But you know what else?  I don't care! 

I can't believe that any reason to show love and affection could be a bad thing.  Sure, we should be showing those we love how we feel about them every single day of the year.  Goes without saying.  But what is one day set aside to remind us of that and encourage us to go all out going to hurt?  Any excuse to be loving and affectionate sounds like a good thing to me!

And yes, I know not everyone is involved in a romantic relationship.  And some of those persons might feel left out of all the lovey-dovey going around.  But is there a law that says one must use Valentine's Day only to show romantic love?  Maybe you have a family member you can show a little appreciation and love for on this day of hearts.  Or a close friend you love like a sister.  Or maybe the person you need to show a little love is yourself!!

You don't like chocolate?  Flowers just die anyway.  Maybe the gifts aren't your thing.  But I bet there is someone who would just appreciate your time and attention.  Or maybe you just need a little time to yourself to read that book/watch that movie/take that bubble bath/paint your toenails like you've been meaning to do.

Take advantage of the day meant for love.  Show someone some love.  Show yourself some love.  Just love somebody! 

Because love is a many splendored thing!

 Love makes the world go 'round!

All you need is LOVE!

Little Cup Of Deliciousness

Oh - that creamy, chocolaty, deliciousness...

Thank goodness for sugar free Jello pudding cups!  Only 60 calories and 2 Weight Watchers points!  The perfect fix for a sudden chocolate craving.  It's like a little bit of happiness in a little plastic cup.

Once again - the chocolate beastie has been appeased and put to rest.

Now I find myself wondering...

What sort of fruits would make this treat even more blissful.  I'm imagining banana slices.  Or strawberries.  Or clementine segments.  Using the pudding as a sort of dip. 

 

Soothing The Savage Beast

Yesterday evening, The Man of the House walked in from work and handed me a grocery bag.  As I peeked inside, my heart filled with gratitude and love for this man I married.  Having read yesterday's blog post, he stopped on the way home and picked up a six pack of Coke (in the white cans - more on that later)  and a bag of Hershey's Kisses with almonds! 

Was it simple kindness in him that inspired him to refill my chocolate stash?  Or a sense of self-preservation after reading my rantings?  Either way - he calmed the hormonal, chocolate crazed creature in me.  And for that, I am grateful. 

I do feel compelled to confess that later in the evening, he also found the missing Kisses - which had been moved to a different cabinet from where I had been hiding them.  There weren't actually gone, just misplaced.  Which I fear makes me look even crazier.  And I'm pretty sure there is suspicion amongst the natives that I am just trying to be sneaky and obtain surplus chocolate for the stash.  And while, I assure you that is not the case - it is a bonus. 

But I digress.  The point is simply this:  The Man of the House brought me chocolate.  He tamed the chocolate beastie.  And I am a very, very lucky woman!

Three Little Letters

You know the ones.  Those three little letters that rule the world.  Or at least the moods of many, many women throughout the world.   And by ruling the moods of all those women - in the ever present trickle down affect they also rule the lives of many men around the world as well.  Or anyone else that comes into the circle of those three little letters.

Yep - I'm talking PMS here people.  And believe me when I tell you that it has been one of "those" days...

Today I have been Irritable.  Annoyed.  Frustrated.  Grumpy.  Broody.  Peevish.  Over sensitive.  Surly.  Exasperated.  Testy.  Down-right cantankerous!  And reading back over this I now realize I have made myself sound like a grumpy old man!  HA!!

I was in a "not right for work" frame of mind.  As every little thing caused me to fight the urge to rip into someone.  And I think I get extra points for biting my tongue and avoiding conflict by hiding in the chart room for a portion of the day. I mean... um... by working on filing in the chart room.  Yeh... that's right.

And heaven help the person that tries to get between me, some chocolate, and a glass of wine later this evening! 

I'm Not Buying It...

Nice try, Hershey's.  Sneaky.  But I'm on to you. 

Have you seen what they're trying to pull?  This creation they call the Air Delight.  Available in bars and kisses. 

They say the idea is that the products are full of light airy "chocolate bubbles".  What it amounts to is that they have taken some of the chocolate out of my chocolate and replaced it with pockets of air!  AIR!
 
Oh no.. I am not falling for this one.  If I want air, I have that around me all day long.  For free.  It's not sweet.  Air is not creamy.  Air is not delicious.  Air never got me through a PMS craving.  What lame brain would rather have air than chocolate?  Of course I realize that air has it's place and purpose.  It's extremely important to life here on earth.  But not in my chocolate treats. 

Give me my chocolate bar and my chocolate kisses full of... Chocolate!!