A Fun Twist on Chocolate Cake!

Hi!! Happy Tuesday!

We got back yesterday afternoon from visiting my parents for the weekend and it was such a great time!  My girls didn't have school yesterday due to a teacher in-service- so we figured it was the perfect weekend to go see Baba and Papa (that is what my kids call my parents :)  Our weekend was filled with lots of good food, BEAUTIFUL weather and a good amount of time spent on my parents' gorgeous screened in porch!

My mom's birthday was the day before we arrived at their house- so I brought a birthday cake so we could sing to mom and the girls could see her blow out candles.

The recipe I used is one of my mom's favorite and it is a chocolate cake my grandma made while my mom and her SEVEN sisters were growing up!

I thought it would be fun to share with you...its a really yummy twist on a traditional chocolate cake!

Here's what you will need:

Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix- try to find one without pudding in the mix

1 3.4 ounce box of COOK AND SERVE chocolate pudding

2 cups milk (for making the pudding)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

semi-sweet chocolate chips

First- you will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Then it is time to make your pudding.  In a small sauce pan, whisk your pudding mix with 2 cups of milk- once it is all incorporated together, turn on the heat to medium-high.  You will just need to be stirring the pudding periodically until it starts to boil and thicken.  Once this has happened- turn off the heat and set it aside while you make the rest of the cake.  Occasionally stir it- just so it doesn't get gloppy and yucky.

 Next- it is time to make the cake batter! I was lucky enough to have the cutest assistant help me!  :)

In a mixing bowl, add your cake mix, 3 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil.

 Once you have mixed your eggs, cake mix and oil together, it is time to start adding the pudding.  You can wait until the pudding is completely cooled to add it to the cake batter- or if you are like me- and don't have a ton of time to sit around and wait for pudding to cool- HA- you can add a little bit of pudding at a time and mix it in with the cake batter.  I do this since the cake batter has eggs in it- and the pudding is hot- you don't want scrambled eggs in your chocolate cake :)

 One last bit of pudding to mix into the batter!

 Once all the pudding has been added to the cake batter, you will want to give it a couple really good "stirs," to make sure everything is even incorporated.

 Then it is time to pour the finished cake batter into a greased (I use cooking spray) 9 X 11 baking dish.

After the cake batter is in the baking dish, it is time to sprinkle chocolate chips all over the top of the cake! You can be as generous as you would like with the chocolate chips- just make sure you sprinkle them evenly over the cake.

Bake the cake at 350 for about 25 minutes!

And here is what the cake looks like once it is baked and out of the oven!

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of an individual piece of cake the night we had it...but just trust me- it was GOOD :)  The cake is moist- and the layer of chocolate chips at the top just makes it extra yummy! This cake freezes beautifully- so if you want to make it ahead- and then put it in the freezer until you need it- that would totally work great!

If you are a chocolate cake lover- I think it would be a good idea if you make this cake :)

Here's the full recipe if you want to copy it and print it off!

(1) Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix- try to get one without pudding in the mix!

(1) 3.4 ounce COOK and SERVE chocolate pudding

(3) eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 X 11 baking dish with cooking spray.

Make your cook and serve chocolate pudding according to the stove top directions on the box.

Mix your cake mix, 3 eggs and oil together.

Add pudding, in small batches if not cooled all the way, to the cake batter.

Incorporate batter and pudding all together.

Pour finished cake batter into your 9 X 11 baking dish (that has already been greased or sprayed with cooking spray!)

Sprinkle a generous amount of chocolate chips all over the top of the batter.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature- SO delicious when paired with some vanilla or mint chocolate chip ice cream!! :)

Hope you have the best day!!