Goof-proof Chocolate Cake You Can Make with One Hand

This recipe is a personal favorite.  It’s very easy, very moist and versatile.  I can probably eat this all by myself in a matter of days.  I also recently found out you can make this with one hand when I had to make it for a family gathering while holding my 2-month old who doesn’t like to be laid down by herself.  As much as I pride myself in making almost everything we eat at home from scratch, so far nothing beats this recipe in terms of convenience and taste.

What you will need:

1 package chocolate cake mix (preferably the one with pudding in the mix)

1 3-oz. package chocolate Jello pudding mix (caramel or french vanilla flavor also works well)

eggs, vegetable oil & water (as the cake mix requires)

2 tsp. instant coffee (optional)

chocolate chips (optional, I like to use the mini chips)

The coffee gives the cake a rich chocolate flavor and also helps make the cake taste like it’s made from scratch.  If you like dark chocolate, you’ll want to add slightly more than 2 tsp of instant coffee.  If you don’t have instant coffee, you can use regular coffee in place of water.  Just dump everything, except the chocolate chips, into your mixing bowl and mix until combined.  Then throw in the chocolate chips if you’re using them & mix until combined.  Pour into prepared pan/pans & toss in preheated oven & follow bake times on the box of your cake mix.

Actually, pouring them into your cake pans is probably the only time you’ll need 2 hands.  If you’re making them into muffins, you can get away with just 1 hand.

You can use this cake in several different ways.  Here are just some variations:

Plain Chocolate Cupcakes (excellent if you’re adding the chocolate chips)

Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting

Plain Chocolate Cake served warm w/ Berries & Whipped Cream

Better than Sex Cake  - this is actually the most requested cake at family gatherings.  They just know it as “Margarita’s Chocolate Cake w/ whipped cream”.  How do you tell a conservative southern Baptist family that they’re eating cake that’s Better than Sex?