Your Friday Quickie: Cake! Cake! Cake!

It's Friday and I'm supposed to be at the Iowa State Fair right now, stuffing my face with a corn dog (it's my splurge day, so I get to indulge in allergens.  Yay me!).  But our Red Dog (his real name is Smitty) had to have surgery a couple of weeks ago and now the surgical site is very infected. So much so, that we couldn't leave town.  Poor little guy. 

To celebrate (I don't think that's the right word, but I'm trying to remain positive here, folks) not leaving, I'm going to make this week's The Whole Smiths (craft)cocktail for the virtual happy hour and snap photos to post.  Watch for those later.  But before that, you need your Friday Quickie

Instead of me posting pics of corn dogs, Chicago style pizza and any other food I could find on a stick (you should be sad we ALL missed this), I'm going to give you guys a cake recipe.  It is recipe week, after all.  And it's Friday. Which means you get a quickie.  And a recipe. It's like a double win.

It's not on my "approved list of foods" from the doctor, which sucks.  But, I do usually make it for my birthday (yes, I make my own cake most years) and anytime I want to wow folks with my cake making abilities.  I may make it tonight, now that I think about it, for a BBQ we're going to at Matt's (Mr. Butter Poached Lobster Rolls) tomorrow.

This is not just any recipe, however.  It's my Mema's recipe.  For the best chocolate cake you'll ever put in your mouth.  I personally guarantee it.  If it's not, you can sue me (please don't really sue me). 

Here's the recipe:

Cake:
1 package of chocolate cake mix (don't get the "pudding in the mix" kind - just a regular old chocolate cake mix works just fine)
2 eggs
1 can of cherry pie filling (save 5 cherries out of the can and put them in a tiny bowl in the fridge)
1/2 t almond flavoring (vanilla will work too but it's not as good)
*your cake mix may also call for oil per the instruction on the back.  If so, I use canola oil usually.

Frosting:
5 T of margarine
1/3 cup of milk (use real milk - I've tried almond milk, etc and it just doesn't work)
1 cup of sugar
1 t almond flavoring (again, vanilla can work)
1 small package of toll house chocolate chips

Start by mixing the cake mix using the directions on the back of the box, but sub in the can of cherry pie filling instead of water.  Mix everything but the cherry filling in first, then gently fold in the pie filling, so you don't crush all the cherries.

Pour the mix into greased and floured (I use a little cake mix instead of flour in my cake pans) cake pans.  Two rounds or one long rectangle pan work best.  Bake at 350f for 25-30 minutes.  Let the cake cool completely and it works well if you let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour or so before you "frost" it.

Make the frosting just before you get ready to use it.  To do so, put the first three ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat until it just starts to boil.  Let it boil one minute exactly (This is the only place you can screw this thing up, so be sure to watch to make sure you know when it starts to boil.  Don't screw it up.  Then you'll be mad at me and try to sue me for sure.).  After your minute is up, remove it from the heat entirely and add your almond flavoring (it could bubble up a bit so have a spoon handy) then add your chocolate chips and stir it well until all the chips melt.  Then pour it over your cake.  

If you did two rounds cakes, you'll want to take them out of the pans and stack them on top of each other on a plate or cutting board that will hold the frosting "run off".  Unless you like frosting on your counter top.  Then just go for it.  The frosting will harden after a bit but before it does you can take a frosting knife and make sure the sides are coated in frosting and that everything is even. Again, let it rest in the fridge for a few minutes if you need to hurry the process up. 

Take your five cherries that you saved earlier and place them in a neat little flower shape in the middle of your cake.  Then eat it.  Several pieces.  You likely won't be able to move from eating so much cake and will need some kombucha to settle your stomach.  You can find that recipe from earlier this week here.  

And you're welcome.