Happy National Chocolate Cake Day!
It’s been quite a while since I’ve been able to focus on the blog, but when I learned that today was such a special holiday, I knew this was the time to share this amazing, delicious, rich chocolate cake recipe with all of my wonderful friends!
Sadly, in true hot mess fashion, I don’t have any photos of this moist, decadent chocolate cake.
So instead, I’m going to share photos of OTHER chocolate cakes I’ve made. Fun, right?
Once I actually make this cake again (and I WILL make it again…) I’ll post photos ASAP, I promise.
First up, we have Judah’s birthday cakes from last year. He loves hearts, and I just happen to have mini heart cake pans. Since we weren’t having a party for him, I made enough mini cakes for Eric, Judah, my mom, and myself. 3-year-olds don’t care about gourmet cakes so I used a chocolate cake mix (because he requested a “brown” cake), a small box of instant pudding mix, the ingredients on the box plus one extra egg, and store-bought frosting. And sprinkles, of course. We can’t be without sprinkles on a birthday cake! I did something pretty similar for the smash cake for his first birthday party.
For Mother’s Day 2018, I also did a doctored cake mix. It was inspired by this cake from Sugar Hero. I frosted it with cookies and cream frosting and added a chocolate ganache drip. Then I decorated it with mini sandwich cookies on top. It turned out so pretty, and it was super yummy!
This one is also a doctored cake mix. As I’ve mentioned before, I like easy shortcuts, and using a cake mix with some extra ingredients is a simple way to make your cakes and cupcakes even more delicious! The cake is filled with homemade whipped cream mixed with a few tablespoons of vanilla instant pudding mix. The pudding mix stabilizes the whipping cream so it doesn’t melt or collapse as easily. It’s frosted with a basic chocolate American buttercream frosting. And of course, topped with sprinkles. Because again, what’s a birthday cake without sprinkles? This one was for Mom’s birthday a few years ago, and it was a hit!
This final photo isn’t a cake – it’s cupcakes! I’ve been following the Handle the Heat blog, and with the extra time (read: combination of boredom and frustration) throughout the pandemic, I’ve spent a lot of time improving my baking and learning about the science behind why things work the way they do in baked goods. Tessa runs a monthly baking challenge, and these Best Chocolate Cupcakes were the challenge from February 2021. They were SUPER chocolatey! Almost too rich for me. But did that stop me from eating them? Of course not! They were also delectable!
The ACTUAL Rich Chocolate Cake Recipe
Anyway, on to the recipe… I discovered this recipe for Too Much Chocolate Cake when my mom asked for a chocolate cake for her birthday one year.
When I make it, I stay pretty close to the original, really, but I do switch up a thing or two. I use both regular and mini chocolate chips in this rich chocolate cake. I think it gives the flavor and texture a bit more depth.
I also always make homemade whipped cream to serve with this. This decadent chocolate cake is very rich. The slightly sweet whipped cream helps to lighten up the flavor a bit. Feel free to use whipped topping or the whipped cream in a can if you like, but homemade whipped cream is surprisingly easy to make, and it’s so delicious!
(Adapted very slightly from allrecipes.com)
Rich Chocolate Cake
Notes
- Be sure to let the cake cool completely, or some of it may stick in the bottom of the pan. That’s also the reason to be sure to grease it very well.
- Chilling your mixing bowl and beaters helps your whipping cream to whip up more quickly.
- Pay attention to your cream while you’re whipping it. If it’s whipped too much, you’ll have butter instead of whipped cream!
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 1 large box (5.9oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Additional powdered sugar, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your 12 cup bundt pan or spray very well with cooking spray.
- Combine the cake mix and pudding mix in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the sour cream, oil, eggs, and water, and mix well. The batter will be very thick.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack.
- In a medium, chilled, glass or metal mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream with your hand mixer until just before soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping until you get medium to stiff peaks but is still soft and glossy.
- Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
- Slice and top with whipped cream.
What’s your favorite way to celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day?
1 Comment
[…] inspiration, oddly enough, was my Rich Chocolate Cake Recipe. It’s so easy and so incredibly delicious that I knew it had to be simple enough to adapt it […]