Let Them Eat Cake!

Since a bunch of people asked for it, I figured I'd just post the recipe for that super yummy cake from Mel's Cake Day. I have modified it from the version that is in the book, but just slightly. It would probably be just as delicious if you made it exactly like the book says to. But, if you want to save $10, don't bother buying the book and just use this recipe: :-)

Chocolate Better Than Sex Cake

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan (I use Baker's Joy spray instead of oil and flour)
1 pkg (18.25 oz) devil's food cake mix
1 pkg (6 oz or 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips (I use at least 1 cup, sometimes more, whatever amount I have at the time)
1 pkg (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
1/4 cup water
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 10-inch bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. (I don't mess with all that, I use Baker's Joy spray which has the oil and flour already in it.) Set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. 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 to 3 minutes more. (I beat it as little as possible, until all the dry stuff is just mixed in. It seems to make for a lighter, moister cake that way.) The batter should be thick and well blended.

3. Fold in the chocolate chips until they are well distributed. Pour the battter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

4. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the side of the pan, 50 to 55 minutes. (I never cook it longer than 50 minutes, and will sometimes pull it out 4 or 5 minutes earlier if it starts to smell "done" to me.)

5. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack for 20 minutes more.

6. Prepare the Chocolate Shiny Glaze below. Immediately pour/drizzle the glaze on the cooled cake.

Chocolate Shiny Glaze

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and cream and stir until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Do not boil.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.

I hope that I've made the recipes look easy because they really are! For people who love chocolate, this cake just knocks their socks off.

After making it lots of times, I think the keys to success are:
a) don't over bake it
b) don't skimp on the chocolate chips (but don't go insane either or it will be a big mess)
c) don't skimp on the sour cream -- I always use full-fat sour cream and often put an extra tablespoon or so in just because

Clearly there isn't a damn thing that's low-cal or low-carb about this cake. I don't even bother trying to make it so. Just bake it when you feel like indulging and then go to town!

Also, you don't have to pair up this cake and this glaze. I've made the cake with a caramel glaze. Likewise, I've used this glaze on a marble cake. It's like the Garanimals approach to baking.