November 10, 2014

It's Just Not The Holidays Without Mema's Cherry Chocolate Cake

You are in for a real treat today. Or treats, really. With the holidays just around the corner (45 days until Kawnzaa, 44 until Christmas, 37 days until Hanukkah and 84 days until Ground Hog Day (come on Spring!)). To help get you ready for the holidays (at least the eating and imbibing part) I got together with some other fun bloggers and we created a Holiday Cocktail Party Blog Hop. At the bottom of this post, you'll see links to all the other bloggers' recipes and I'll round them all up later this month for you too. Get your holiday pants (and by holiday pants I mean your "I feel really fat so I'm going to wear these elastic pants" pants) out of the back of the closet because here we go.


As for my contribution, my family has a serious sweet tooth. There are enough of us that we qualify as sweet teeth, actually. And it's really only those that are related to me directly. The Hubbs would rather have celery over chocolate. It's a fact that I've never really be able to absorb, but have finally accepted. Mostly because that means I can give him all my celery (what's the point of it, other than as a delivery system for peanut butter?) and he gives me all his chocolate. A match made in heaven.

When it comes to the holidays, our clan can be found digging up old recipes and making plans. Buying ingredients and tempting each other on Facebook with our newest creations. But one thing always rings true. This cake. My Mema's (that's a charming Southern name for your grandma) Cherry Chocolate Cake with the Melted Chocolate Chip Frosting. It's my favorite food on the planet. Even better than bacon. No, I mean it. It's that good. And with the red cherries on the top, it just looks like the holidays. 

It will be on our table this holiday season. And you know me. If it's on my table, I think it should be on yours too. So, I'm going to give you the recipe. Because I like you. We don't just give this out to anyone. It's that special. 

You see, this is not just any recipe. 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 4-1-1 on how to make it:

Cherry Chocolate Cake:
1 package of chocolate cake mix (do not 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 to use for garnish)
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.

Melted Chocolat Chip 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 (or your favorite brand)


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 (you can use a mixer here if you'd like), then gently fold in the pie filling by hand as the last ingredient, 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 eight inch rounds or one long 9 x 12 rectangle pan work best. Bake at 350f for 25-30 minutes. Test it to make sure it's "toothpick clean" before you pull it out, since ovens vary. Let the cake cool completely and it works well if you let the cake rest in the fridge for at least an hour or so before you "frost" it. You need it to be room temp at the very warmest or your frosting will be a mess.


Make the frosting just before you're ready to use it. To do so, put the first three ingredients in a sauce pan and melt 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 your chocolate chips and stir it well until all the chips melt.  hen pour it slowly over your cake making sure some drips over the side.  



If you did two round cakes, you'll want to take them out of the pans and stack them one on top of the 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 and smooth. 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 homemade kombucha to settle your stomach. You can find that recipe here.  
Illustration by Allie Brosh

And you're welcome.

Now go check out my other blogger friends' recipes below: 


Appetizers


Cocktails & Mocktails


Desserts & Sweet Treats

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Location: North Carolina, USA

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