In my opinion there are only two types of people in this world; those who love chocolate and those who don’t. I base this statement on the fact that about 99.8% of my acquaintances would never think to utter the phrase “can take chocolate or leave it”! My friends either really love chocolate, or don’t like it at all. No middle ground or ambiguity whatsoever. In fact, some of my friends take their love of chocolate so seriously that they don’t even consider eating a sweet unless it contains chocolate. (Yes Christine, I am referring to you!)
But within the group that love chocolate (most people I know), there are the people who love dark chocolate and the darker the better. Then there are those, like myself, who prefer milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate lovingly surrounded by other ingredients. (Think chocolate chip cookies or mint chip ice cream.)
But one of the recipes I make, that every chocolate lover I know can agree upon, is this Kahlúa Cake. It has the richness associated with dark chocolate without the bitterness. (At least my taste buds associate dark chocolate with bitterness.) And the best part, this is one of the easiest cakes you will ever bake. Just a few ingredients and no frosting, whipped cream, ice cream or even a sprinkling of powdered sugar required. In fact, any of these toppings/additions detract from the flavor of the cake rather than act as an enhancement.
So next time your sweet tooth (the one dipped in chocolate) acts up, give it what it wants. I guarantee that with just one small piece of this cake, your brain will release so many lovely little endorphins that you will feel as happy as someone who has simultaneously lost 10 pounds and won the lottery! And what could be better than that?
- 1 chocolate cake mix (non pudding added variety)
- 1 small pkg. (3.9-oz.) instant chocolate pudding
- 1 pt. (2 cups) sour cream
- ¾ c. vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 c. Kahlúa
- 6 oz. mini chocolate chips (use regular if you don’t have mini chips on hand)
Beat cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and Kahlúa together for about 5 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into a well greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Don’t over bake. Let sit for about 10 minutes then turn cake out onto a cooling rack or directly onto a cake plate. Allow cake to cool before serving.