when the chocolate craving attacks...

sometimes without warning, BAM! things just come and knock you down... for example... today, while grocery shopping i got a nose full of chocolaty goodness... i mean extreme chocolate overload... now... i could have simply walked over to the bakery section, took the easy way out and bought a cake right there... problem is, i just can't do that...

now i've had cakes and confections made from grocery store bakeries before, and yes, they are good... but... why pay money for something that is totally full of chemicals and preservatives when i can make something totally full of butter and fat... a-ha ha ha...

so... as for the sudden chocolate craving... i felt like i was pregnant again... except this time it wasn't ricotta cheese and tomatoes like with jack, or seltzer by the gallon as with ben... it was chocolate and i needed it... i needed it bad...

so when i got home, i inventoried my pantry and gathered all my ingredients... and that's when i had my "what a dork" moment and realized while at the grocery store earlier i forgot to buy some buttermilk, so my favorite chocolate cake recipe went out the window...

so while sitting there scratching my head, i glanced at the container of hershey's cocoa powder, and low and behold there was the recipe for their "perfectly chocolate- chocolate cake"... and i figured hey, why not try a classic... and man... it was pretty awesome! literally with out bite i was sucked back in time... instant nostalgia... it was if i was back in grandma's kitchen...

i cannot believe i had never ever tried this recipe before... it really satisfied my craving... the cake itself was moist and tender, and the bonus yummy frosting complimented it so nicely... now it isn't my number one chocolate cake recipe, but i was damn good... no wonder it's a classic...

cake ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup hershey's cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"perfectly chocolate-chocolate cake" frosting(recipe follows below)

directions:
1. Heat oven to 350. grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans
2. stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl
3. add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
stir in boiling water (batter will be thin)
4. pour batter into prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely

perfectly chocolate-chocolate frosting recipe:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:
1. melt butter then stir in cocoa
2. alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to desired spreading consistency
3.add small amount additional milk, if needed and stir in vanilla

happy baking everyone!