Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

I have memories of a gloriously chocolatey bundt cake from my childhood. It was made for me on a regular basis by a woman who in many ways was like a second mother to me—although I babysat for her actual children, who were obviously much younger than me. I met her when she lived in my neighborhood. I was 11 years old and I spotted her playing on the lawn with her just-turned-1-year-old twin boys. I was obsessed with babies, and fascinated by twins given my experience with my own brothers, so I stopped and played with them, and talked to her.

That chance encounter turned into countless hours spent over at her house with the twins, “helping.” She called me her “mother’s helper” in those early years, toting me to the mall with her and the boys, each of us pushing an umbrella stroller with a twin seated in it.

I eventually became old enough (and trusted enough) to babysit on my own, so I did, regularly. And although they moved out of my neighborhood, they stayed in my same town, so the relationship continued. I spent weekends at their house. I spent the night after babysitting. I went on vacation with them. When the boys were 4 years old, they had another baby… a girl. And I was just as enamored with her as I had been with the twins.

It might sound weird, but as much as I loved the kids, I also really loved her. We were friends, despite her being approximately 20 years older than me. And anyway, she made a chocolate cake for me often, a cake that I would eat throughout my weekends at their house.

Once I grew up and went away to college, and her kids grew up and didn’t care so much for babysitters (or need them, for that matter), we lost touch. Life happened. We’ve since reconnected on Facebook and such, but I’ve never asked her for that chocolate cake recipe.

Last month, it was Michael’s birthday, and I wanted to make a cake. But I didn’t want to mess with frosting or glaze or anything else for that matter. We were fresh off of our vacation and trying to get back into the swing of things so I wanted something easy. And delicious.

I thought of that cake—the one from so many years ago—so I googled. I had a feeling that it wasn’t made from scratch. I remembered that it had chocolate chips in it. I thought I had remembered “triple chocolate,” and I knew it was always made in a bundt pan. So I googled “triple chocolate bundt cake,” and lo and behold… success.

I don’t know if this is the one that Kim made for me so many times back then. I could very well not be giving her enough credit—maybe hers is made from scratch every time—but I’ll tell you what. This cake is damn good. It tastes like I remember. It’s moist, chocolatey, and there is NO NEED for frosting or glaze. Alysha over at How Does She? did add glaze to hers, but I’m telling you… you don’t need it. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on the top and you have yourself a cake. And since it’s a doctored cake mix, it’s an easy one, too. It’s not good for you in the slightest (3/4 cup oil??) but just think of that as a trade-off for saving yourself the calories and fat from no frosting. :)

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
(Source: How Does She?)

Ingredients:
– 1 box chocolate cake mix (any)
– 1 box chocolate instant pudding
– 4 eggs
– 1 cup sour cream
– 3/4 cup water
– 3/4 cup oil
– 1 bag chocolate chips (milk chocolate) – use more or less to your preference

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients well and pour batter into a well-greased bundt pan.

3. Bake on 2nd to bottom rack for 40-50 minutes.

4. Remove from oven; let cake cool completely in pan.

5. Take a small slender spatula and loosen cake around the outside & inside edges. Tip upside down onto platter.

6. Cake can be refrigerated & removed prior to serving or tastes just as good chilled.