Chocolate. Do I really need to say anything else? As my favorite chocolate shop (Wiseman House Chocolates in Hico, TX) says, “Chocolate is proof that God is good. Very good.”
As I write I’m sitting on the floor of my bedroom closet with my cats prowling around me. According to the radio, there’s a whopper of a storm—possibly including tornadoes—just down the road and headed our way. Charlie is taking our self-imposed isolation personally and rarely lets a moment go by without complaining about it. He’s not happy. Henry’s not happy. I’m not particularly thrilled myself. And the worst part is (aside from that whole imminent danger thing) I’m stuck in here without any chocolate.
What WAS I thinking? Still, it might be for the best. As comforting as chocolate can be, it’s also dangerous—and not just to our hips. It’s so tempting to turn to that dark, delicious flavor for comfort in times of crisis. But really, shouldn’t we be looking for comfort from God? Do you think He might get his feelings hurt if we blow Him off and ask a slice of chocolate cake to solve our problems instead of the One who can actually do something about them?
Ah, but when you put God and chocolate together—each in His/its proper place—that’s a beautiful thing. Remember, He invented that wonderful flavor and it’s only right to show our appreciation?
So here’s my favorite chocolate cake recipe: it’s moist. It’s delicious. It has just a touch of cherry flavor. It’s fantastic as a sheet cake or in luscious layers. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy—and remember to give credit where credit is due. Tell God how much you love Him today. He already sent you a Valentine; His name is Jesus.
Chocolate Cherry Cake
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
3 eggs
1 can dark sweet cherry pie filling (be sure to get pie filling, not just cherries)
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon butter extract
Mix together the cake mix, eggs, butter, cherry pie filling, and almond and butter extracts. Beat at medium speed for the amount of time indicated on cake mix.
Bake at 350 degrees in greased and floured pans until cake tests done in the middle. For a 9×13 pan it will be about 40 minutes.
Let cake sit about 5 minutes; frost wit Fudge Frosting while cake is still warm.
Fudge Frosting
6 Tablespoons milk
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 1-lb box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Melt butter; stir in mild and cocoa. Bring to a gentle boil. YOU MUST STIR FREQUENTLY to prevent scorching.
Remove from head and add powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans. Mix well by hand with spoon. Spread carefully on warm cake. (NOTE: If you’ve taken your cake out of the pan this step will be messy—take precautions to avoid frosting spillover onto your counter, floor, etc.)
Read Full Post »