Heap of Trouble Chocolate Cake

Well, today just happens to be Connor's birthday. 13, yes all 3 boys are now teenagers. So, what kind of cake does a 13 year old want? His response, "You're not going to have a store bought cake are you?" Well, what kind DO you want? "A homemade fudgy chocolate one with chocolate chips in it. Oh, and coconut".

Well, since I'm in a heap of trouble with our 3rd teenage boy, I suppose the name says it all. It's a touch more time consuming than just an average cake, but I figure hey it's for a great kid who is very close to my heart. And I am delighted since he asked me to make him a homemade cake, but that has nothing on the delight he'll be filled with, when he eats a slice of this decadent chocolate cake topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting and coconut!


Heap of Trouble Chocolate Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package triple chocolate fudge cake mix
• 1 sm package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your pan. (I used 3 disposable small cake pans to make a 3 layer cake.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, milk, applesauce, water and eggs. Beat for 4 minutes pour in your cake pan.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cake. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when you touch it.
   

Tip 1: I use applesauce to cut the fat. It doesn't add any flavor to the cake, but it does keep it moist. It's a 1 to 1 ratio, so if you must use oil 1/2 cup of oil=1/2 cup of applesauce ,etc.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 C butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
• 3 C sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 C cocoa powder

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Mix in cocoa powder.
3. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.