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By Root 1078 0

used to call it something else. This is the cake I serve on birthdays when I am in a rush because I know all the ingredients will be on hand. This is the cake I stash in the freezer for unexpected company because if you zap it in the microwave it thaws and those chocolate chips melt once again, as if it was fresh and warm from the oven. And lastly, in what is starting to sound like an ode to this cake, this is a recipe that is easily adapted. I bake it with reduced-fat sour cream or plain yogurt now. I have added a teaspoon of almond extract successfully. I have baked the cake as cupcakes and frosted them with Martha’s Chocolate Icing (page 480) or Fluffy Chocolate Frosting (page 478). But most of the time this cake goes to the table unadorned, garnished with birthday candles and served with good ice cream. It’s always ready for a party.

Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan

Flour, for dusting the pan

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain chocolate cake mix

1 package (3.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding mix

4 large eggs

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream or plain or vanilla yogurt

2/3 cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream or yogurt, water, oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter for 1½ minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look smooth and thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top with the rubber spatula, and place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer the Bundt pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edges of the cake, shake the pan gently, and invert the cake to a wire rack. To let the cake cool completely, allow 25 to 30 minutes.

Recipe Reminders

MADE FOR

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PREP NOTES

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DON’T FORGET

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SPECIAL TOUCHES

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Keep It Fresh! Store this cake, in a cake saver or covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze the cake, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to six months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before serving.

It’s All in the Chocolate Chips

So what makes this cake so “darn good”? The ingredients aren’t complicated. I’d have to say two things—the cake is incredibly moist (credit the oil and sour cream) and it’s incredibly chocolaty. Credit those chocolate chips. You can even add more than the recipe suggests; go ahead and add two cups of chips if you like (that’s a whole 12-ounce package). For everyday baking I buy the Nestlé’s semisweet chips. But if I am making this cake for company I’ll pay a little more and buy the Ghirardelli bittersweet chips. The Whole Foods 365 brand of semisweet chips are also great, and for really nice occasions, I use the Callebaut chocolate chips that I buy at a specialty food store. What’s nice about a 12-ounce bag is that once I measure out a cup and a half, what’s left (3 ounces)