Our family’s no-fail chocolate cake recipe

If you need a no-stress, never fails, go-to Holiday, pot-luck or party dessert, this is it. I swear! Before I perfected my made-from-scratch cake baking skills, this was the only chocolate cake recipe I would trust for a special occasion.

The recipe is actually my version of one our Web editor Ronie Reiley, aka my mom,  clipped from a newspaper many moons ago. Over the years, we’ve modified the original. What we finally deemed our “perfect” easy chocolate cake recipe is the version we’re sharing with you today. The original, as it was clipped from newsprint, was dubbed “Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake.” Since we question that assertion, we’ve given our version a new name of simply Romance Chocolate Cake.

Chef’s tip

As far as decadent desserts go, a chocolate cake recipe couldn’t be more simple since this bundt starts with a cake mix. Of course, it is a chocolate cake mix and since chocolate is an aphrodisiac of legendary repute, it gets this romance cake off to a good start. However, if you’re adept at making chocolate cakes from scratch, you can certainly feel free to alter the recipe to include your favorite rich, chocolatey cake batter. Just don’t skimp on the “extras.” The additions of pudding mix and Greek yogurt ensure moisture and walnuts and raspberries push the aphrodisiac factor off the charts. Romance? Yes, we think you’ll be making some romance when you serve someone special this cake.

5 from 2 votes

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Romance Chocolate Cake

Prep Time

18 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Cooling Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 18 mins

 

A variation on "Better than Sex Chocolate Cake," this chocolate-glazed chocolate bundt is made ultra moist by the addition of pudding mix, Greek yogurt and raspberries. 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Cake

Dish Type: cake

Cooking Style: Baking

Seasonal: Christmas, Easter, Holiday season, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day

Ingredient: chocolate

Servings: 12

Created by: Ronie Reiley

Ingredients

CAKE

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1 devil’s food cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup Greek yogurt full fat recommended
• 1 12-oz bag frozen raspberries thawed

GLAZE

• 2 oz unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 8 oz powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

for the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat nuts and chips with 1 tbsp cake mix and set aside. (This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.)
3. Beat the eggs using an electric mixer for one minute.
4. Add the cake mix, oil, water, vanilla, pudding mix and Greek yogurt. Blend for three minutes on medium speed, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Fold in coated chips and nuts and the raspberries.
6. Pour into a bundt cake pan that has been greased and coated with a fine layer of cocoa powder.
7. Bake for 50-55 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. (Note that you have to check carefully. If the toothpick comes out wet, make sure that moisture is from cake batter, not a chocolate chip.)
8. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out of bundt pan. Let cake cool for 1 hour before topping with the glaze.

for the Glaze:

1. Simmer butter, milk, cocoa for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce heat to low and add vanilla.
3. Slowly stir in confectioner’s sugar, a little at a time.
4. If mixture becomes too thick increase heat.
5. Make sure glaze is warm enough so it drizzles over top and sides of cake.

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