epicureantease

Who doesn’t love a good, homemade chocolate cake!?  🙂

I’ve mentioned it before, but its worth mentioning again… I have come in contact with some of the most amazing people on Instagram. People that I’d probably not cross paths with otherwise for many of them live several hundred miles away. It’s truly amazing how social media can work its magical ways, positively, if we allow it. 🙂  While having an IG conversation about my use of box cake mix for my S’Mores Cupcakes, it came up that I’ve yet to find a good, scratch recipe that produces a moist chocolate cake.  With that being said, one of my IG friends quickly offered to send me her tried and true recipe for chocolate cake.

When I checked my email the next morning I was surprised to find out that the recipe that was being shared was not only a family recipe, but a recipe that hasn’t been shared with any other. I was the first and only person this recipe has been shared with. How cool is that!?  For that reason, I will not be posting the recipe as I feel it’s up to my friend to share with whom she chooses.  I am truly honored that the recipe was shared so freely with me. 🙂

My family lives about an hour and a half away. I hadn’t been down for a visit in just about a month, if not a little longer. What better time to visit and surprise my parents with a homemade chocolate cake than this past weekend.  Knowing I had a full day ahead of me on Saturday, I spent Friday evening whipping up this amazingly easy cake.  Who would think that such a simple recipe would produce such amazing results. I didn’t even have to use my stand or hand-mixer.  And I had the kitchen cleaned up long before the cake came out of the oven. Big bonus! After letting the cake cool (insert falling asleep on the couch here!), I wrapped it tightly with plastic wrap and called it a night.

As I prepared to head out Saturday morning, I placed the two layers of cake (still wrapped in plastic) in my cake carrier and moved it from one location to the next as I made my way out the door.  While walking out to my truck I thought to myself, “what would happen if the cake carrier opened?”. This is a question I no longer have as I quickly learned the answer. Within seconds of that thought I heard a sound I can’t quite explain. While still holding the cake carrier top in my hand, I looked down to find the bottom, in addition to my plate with the cake on it, upside down on the sidewalk. 😦  Really!? Of all the times I moved the cake around in the house, within the carrier, nothing happened. I get outside and within steps of my front door it’s on the ground. Not having the time to worry about it I uttered a few choice words,  righted the plate, put it back in the carrier, fastened it back together, packed it up and hit the road.  Though thankfully, not literally. 😉

On one my stops, I checked the cake out.  It didn’t look bad.  It didn’t even look like it had been dropped!  The layers were 100% in tact.  The plastic wrap was unscathed. There was no cake to concrete contact. Whew! 🙂 Being the honest person I am however, I couldn’t move forward with presenting this cake to my parents without first sharing its early morning nose dive. Sure, I could have technically gotten away with no one ever knowing.  But I wouldn’t have felt right about it and as that saying goes, “Integrity is what you do when no one is watching; it’s doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to your disadvantage.” I knew there was a possibility my mom wouldn’t want to eat the cake after learning of its fall.  But I also knew it wasn’t a total loss. The bottom layer was not only protected with the plastic wrap, but I also had a piece of parchment between the layers. At the very least, we had the one layer. 

Fresh whip cream and berries!

It was a go! It was determined that the cake looked fine, no harm no foul, so I proceeded to assemble the cake. I cut each layer in half and filled the layers with freshly whipped whip cream, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries lightly dusted with sugar. Being a four layer cake, the slices were HUGE! So big in fact that I had to use dinner plates for serving. The cake was a hit! My mom, who isn’t much for chocolate cake to begin with enthusiastically said, “This recipe is a keeper! This cake is very good!”  The cake was chocolatey, moist and spongy. All things I’ve been looking for in a made-from-scratch cake.  Finally!! 🙂

Chocolate Cake with fresh whipped cream and berries!

After a long day, who wouldn’t consider chocolate cake and red wine for dinner!? 😉

For those who follow both my blog and my feed on Instagram, I’m sure it comes as no surprise as to who shared this most delicious family recipe with me.  Sandra, you absolutely amaze me! Especially in the kitchen! You whip up some of the most delicious looking baked goods, desserts and family meals I’ve ever seen.  It’s no wonder that you have requests for your baked goods!  I don’t know where you find the time OR the energy!  I’m starting to wonder if you ever sleep. 😉   I love your quick wit, honest, genuine commentary and encouragement. You’re truly a beautiful woman, inside and out. 🙂  This recipe will be known in my household as “Aunt Helen’s Chocolate Cake”.  She must have been one hell of a baker, because her recipe is out-of-this-world!  Thank you for trusting me with it! 🙂

Chocolate Cake with fresh whipped cream and berries!