Photo Friday

Cute little HSTs!

This was delivered to my house today by a talented and kind friend. I was surprised and delighted!

 

Tasty Tuesday: Too Much Chocolate Cake

My oh my! This cake is killer. My friend Christine brought this to my house once upon a time, and she very kindly brought it again last week as my birthday gift to my birthday/U.F.O. gathering. It is so yummy! A little piece goes a long way! I have not personally made this, but I have consumed more than my fair share. :)
Christine notes that she has used less oil and also substituted half applesauce (she will correct me in comments if I have this wrong, right C?) and it has been just as tasty. She has also used other chocolate cake flavors and other chips such as peanut butter and butterscotch and again, just as tasty.

Too Much Chocolate Cake -By: Denise
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Too-Much-Chocolate-Cake/Detail.aspx

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

* Update: I just found this recipe posted on AllRecipes.com. Here is the link. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/too-much-chocolate-cake/

Tasty Tuesday: Nordstrom's Poppy Seed Cake or Cherry Cake

Nordstrom’s Poppy Seed Cake – Original version

Preheat oven to 350

1 yellow cake mix, (NO pudding added)
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
2 TBSP poppy seeds
2 TBSP Almond Extract

Beat all ingredients 4 minutes.
Pour into greased and sugared bundt pan
Bake @ 350 for 45-50 min.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Nordstrom’s Poppy Seed Cake – Amy’s Cherry or Strawberry Version (I prefer this one. I am not a huge fan of poppy seeds, so I altered the recipe a little.)

Preheat oven to 350

1 cherry or strawberry cake mix, (NO pudding added)
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
2 TBSP Almond Extract

Beat all ingredients 4 minutes.
Pour into greased and sugared bundt pan
Bake @ 350 for 45-50 min.
Cool in pan 10 minutes.