Goulish Chocolate Worm cake

The worms crawl in.....the worms crawl out....

Happy Halloween!

My husband are heading out the door soon to another party, bless his heart, he's being a real trooper about all the activities lately.  So as you know, going empty handed to a party is extremely bad form, so here is the cake that I am taking to the Halloween Party we are going to tonight.  It is a breeze to bake (remember I'm not a great baker, yet), so when I say it's easy, I mean it.  My son loves chocolate cake, always has, and I have made some truly awful attempts at cakes in the past.  This chocolate cake (minus the worms) passed the "Shane test"!  It has a cup of good black coffee in it and it makes a plain chocolate cake just fabulous!  The frosting; super-duper easy and scrumptious!  It only took me 46 years to find the right combination, so here it is, just for you!

For this occasion, I made a 9 X 12.  This recipe makes a lovely 2 layer 8-inch cake.  The frosting recipe is a generous 2 cups.

BEST EVER! CHOCOLATE CAKE

2-1/4 C  sugar
2 C cake flour
1 C Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 tsp each: baking soda and baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 C half & half
1/2 C canola oil
1 C boiling coffee
2-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and sugar the bottoms.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and blend on low speed for 1 minute.  Add the eggs, half & half and oil.  Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Add the boiling coffee and vanilla.  Mix for 1 minute.  Batter will be very wet.  Evenly divide the batter in the 2 pans.

Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool cakes in the pans for 20 minutes.  Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 1 hour.  Frost as usual.

Decadent Ghirardelli Chocolate Frosting

1/2 C (1 stick) butter

2/3 C Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa

3 C powdered sugar

1/3 C milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  Add small amount of additional milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla. 

Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Note:  I usually prepare the frosting while the cake is baking and cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap until I am ready to use.  Once the cake is frosted, you can chill it for about 15 minutes to set the frosting.  Comes out perfect every time!