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Mmmm, Chocolate Cake and Spring!

by 81 Comments

reflection9370lorez_normal-1It can’t decide if it wants to be Winter or Spring here in St. Louis. One day it’s in the 20’s and the next day it’s in the 60’s. Our two cats don’t understand why it’s ok to be let out on the screen porch one day, and not ok the next. (Did I ever tell you about the bell on the back door? When we got our dog as a puppy, someone told me to hang a bell on the back door and teach the dog to ring it whenever she needed to go out. It was GREAT advice, and Casey quickly learned to do just that. No matter where we were in the house, we could hear it and knew that she wanted to be let out. Then the dog apparently taught that to the cat.  After we’d had Zoe for about 2 weeks, I was in the kitchen and watched her walk to the back door.  She reached up and swatted the bell and then turned around and looked at me expectantly, waiting to be let out. Cracked me up!  She still uses that method regularly.  Gracie, the other cat, has never caught on.  Or chooses not to.)

The Elves made dinner for WH and I this week and it was such a nice thing for them to do! (Birthday dinner. Tomorrow is my birthday.) This chocolate cake that Karen contributed to the meal was so good that I asked her if I could share the recipe with all of you.  I hope you like it.

dsc02404Karen’s Chocolate Bliss Cake

1 pkg chocolate cake mix, any variety
1 pkg (4-serving) Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup flavored coffee, cooled (any variety)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (Karen uses Ghirardelli)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan, or a 10″ tube pan.

Beat all ingredients together on low speed, except the chocolate chips. Beat until just moistened, scraping the bowl often.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and then pour into prepared pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Loosen cake from sides with spatula and turn the pan onto a wire rack, easing the cake out gently.  Cool completely.

Top with Chocolate Glaze (below) or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.  Serves 12-16.

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbl. butter or margarine
2 Tbl. corn syrup
1-2 tsp. hot water

Heat chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup over low hear, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted.  Cool slightly. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time, until desired consistency.  Drizzle over the cake.

Can’t you just imagine how wonderful this smells while it’s baking? I think it’s twice as nice to then give the whole cake away, without even getting to taste it.  Thank you again, Karen!

Sheri whospentalldayyesterdaythinkingitwasFriday
GladthatFridayisactuallyherenow.Haveagreatweekend!

81 comments

  4. Sheri – Have a WONDERFUL Happy Birthday and may the entire year bring you happiness and serenity in whatever you are doing. Big hugs to you. (Maybe if you thought it was Friday all day yesterday, then today is really Saturday and you can celebrate your birthday TWICE). 😉

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  5. Happy Birthday!! I hope you’ll enjoy your day tomorrow. Wrong day thing must be contagious…I spent yesterday thinking it was Friday as well. I kept checking for your Friday blog post yesterday, only to wake up this morning and realize today is Friday and I had to get to work. Actually this wrong day thing has been happening all week this week. :/
    Karen’s cake sounds wonderful.

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  6. Happy Birthday to you, Sheri! May your days be filled with chocolate cakes of every variety! I wish cake travelled better – I would surely send you one.

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  7. Happy Birthday, Sheri!! Many hugs and happy returns, and may the year ahead be filled with happiness and blessings! (I was very pleased with myself that I remembered on my own that tomorrow is your birthday; I remembered last year’s birthday socks!) I did a similar mixup last week, when I kept thinking last Friday that it was Saturday. Even though I knew my daughter had gone to school that day, and she doesn’t go to school on Saturdays. I figured it out that night, when the Friday night shows were on tv! (And Karen’s cake sounds quite yummy… another thing I’ll have to avoid!)

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  8. Happy Birthday, Sheri! I celebrated mine on Tuesday. I teach high school and my students were so awesome: they sang to me, made me cake and gave me lots of hugs. I hope you’re day is just as great!

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  9. Have a happy day Sheri, you certainly deserve it! Hoping the elves and Mr. Loopy take good care of you on your special day!
    That cake looks awesome btw, it is now on my to do list!

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  11. I have not had a clue to what day is is all month, hope that March is better. I looked up the temperature in St Louis the other day and it was the same as here in Florida. Have a wonderful birthday, and I am counting the days till the fling.

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  12. Happy Birthday, Sheri! You know, people born in February are extra special (I celebrated on Wednesday).

    I have a similar cake recipe from my sister (another Feb. girl) but it has Kaluha in it instead of coffee. Very yummy.

    Take care and have a special day tomorrow.

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  14. Have a wonderful Birthday, Sheri! 🙂

    The weather has been doing the same thing here in TN. Yesterday it was 68 degrees, and tomorrow they are calling for snow!

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  16. Hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow, Sheri!

    I like the bell idea but I think at the rate our dog wants in and out that bell would be ringing constantly!

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  17. Happy Birthday Sheri!
    My friend uses the bell with his dog, too. I’ve never heard of a cat using it, though! Thanks for the chuckle.

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  19. It just started to rain here as forerunner to return of cold weather. So it will be a great weekend to knit and bake that chocolate cake–oh, wait, I’m going to the movies. Movies will probably be preferable as it’s gonna thunder which makes the dog most unhappy and by extension me too.

    I wish my dog had a bell. I taught her to “speak” when she wants a door opened–not just when she needs to go out but anytime she wants door opened. The problem the “speak” has become “whine” and is quite annoying and obnoxious. Maybe I should try reprogramming with a bell.

    Have a happy birthday tomorrow!

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  21. I have two cats who have no interest in going outside and one who doesn’t ask, she just barges through when the door opens. I have to block the way whenever I come into the house – I’m sure my neighbors see me doing this and think I’m a bit odd.

    Sheri, have a very happy birthday!

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  24. Happy Birthday – hope your day is filled with your favorite people and activities and that it’s a special as you! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  25. Happy birthday, Sheri! May you have a wonderful weekend of relaxation and indulgence.
    That decadent chocolate cake sounds a lot like the one which a dear, maternal-type coworker bakes up whenver someone in our office has a birthday. I wonder if a white cake/butterscotch pudding combo with butterscotch chips might work as well — I’m a weirdo and tend to prefer butterscotch/caramel to chocolate. (Oh, and my mother did train one of our cats to ring a bell to go out — the calico cat’s orange tabby brother would just wait for her to ring the bell, then go out, too. Can’t decide which one was smarter…)

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  28. Have a fabulous birthday-filled with family,friends lots of chocolate cake and of course a coffee treat from Starbucks !

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  33. Have a Happy Birthday and eat lots of that yummy looking cake!

    Are you sure you don’t live in Texas? It’s almost 90 here, today, tomorrow it will be in the low 60’s! Talk about confusing!

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  35. Have a wonderfully Happy Birthday, Sheri! 🙂

    I love your bell idea. I vaguely remember hearing something like that before, but I had not heard whether or not it works. Terrific idea! Now, if we can teach my older dogs new tricks (one is 10, and one is 7), LOL!

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  36. Happy Birthday Sheri! May you have many many more to come!

    It’s funny how some animals learn to communicate with us stupid humans! My Zoe and Opie loudly clank the ceramic bowls that hold their water together when the water is either low or not to their liking. They certainly have me trained to stop whatever I’m doing and get them fresh water – too bad the other 3 humans that live in the house don’t get it.

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  38. Happy Birthday!!

    I kept thinking it was Sunday. This was probably because I had sick kids home this week, and when I realized they were going back to school the next day, mentally this made it Sunday.

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  40. Happy Birthday, Sheri!
    Enjoy every bite of that cake!

    It’s almost March, which means it’s almost spring. And not a moment too soon!

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  42. Happy Birthday!

    The chocolate cake sounds really good (though I always feel guilty if I use a mix). My hubby, however, doesn’t like chocolate cake, so I’ll have to make something else. I’ve been encouraging the arrival of spring and summer by buying more tropical fruits (Meyer lemons and some kumquats yesterday)!

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  47. Happy Birthday. February Birthdays are so great. My close firend will turn53 tomorrow. I am sure she is much older than you. She taught me how to knit 34 years ago. Have great day and a fabulous year.

    Reply

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