Three Way Chocolate Cake

This Chocolate Cake was a happy accident.
Yes, it was an accident.  I'd committed to making a cake for a cake raffle and when asked what kind I was making, I said Chocolate.

And then when I started making it, I found out that I was shy Cocoa Powder, I only had two tablespoons left.   I know, mise en place and umm, check to make sure you have all the ingredients, plan ahead, etc.

Yup...

So I went on a search for the other container of cocoa powder I knew I had, and could not find it. And then I spotted the package of instant pudding mix I'd bought on a whim awhile ago, and grabbed it out of the pantry, added it to the flour, and spotted some hot cocoa mix and went, what the hey, and added that to the dry ingredients.   Then I finally found the elusive container of cocoa powder, hiding, right there in the middle of the baking stuff.  It was the dark chocolate powder, but hey, it was chocolate.  So I added an additional 2 tablespoons of it, and mixed the batter together and baked it off and life was good.

This cake was chocolatey, rich, moist and really really good. 

I do want to give one caveat here.   If you use cake flour, omit the potato starch or cornstarch.

And be prepared for people going mmmmm, as they eat this. 

I frosted the cake with my favorite frosting, it's an old fashioned one.  I call it Best Ever Frosting.

Then I made some cupcakes a few days later, and frosted them with a combo buttercream/ganache frosting.  I'll share the recipe for that one another time.   Just as soon as I make it again.
Anyone need a cake or cupcakes or?

These cupcakes got taken out as well, and were shared at a potluck.  I didn't have to eat them all myself.

yield: 3 layer cake or 36 cupcakesAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cookingprint recipe

Three Way Chocolate Cake

prep time: 20 MINScook time: 30 MINStotal time: 50 mins

This cake is triply chocolate and good, with a texture similar to a box cake.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup) at room temperature
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 packets hot chocolate drink mix
• 2 cups AP flour (if using cake flour, omit the potato or corn starch)
• 1/3 cup Potato or Corn Starch
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 4 tablespoons Cocoa Powder, milk or dark
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8 inch pans, or put out 36 cupcake liners. Cream the room temperature butter and sugars together until the sugar has mostly dissolved into the butter. This takes a few minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each egg. Whisk all the dry ingredients together, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer, mix well, then add one third of the milk, alternate the dry and wet ingredients, finishing off with the dry. Pour one third of the batter into each of the three cake pans, and bake for 30 minutes, checking at the 25 minute mark to see if they're done, using a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the pans. If it comes out clean, they're done, if not, bake an additional 5 minutes or so. If making cupcakes, bake for 15-20 minutes, checking for doneness after 15 minutes. Cool and frost with your favorite frosting.

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