Chocolate Fudge Cake with Fudge Frosting

THIS cake is a real winner. I have made it many, many times. Most recently, I made it as a birthday cake. But not just any birthday cake, mind you. Jaxon's stuffed pig, Piggy, was turning 3 and Jaxon wanted us to have a party for him.

While he set to work making party hats for the guests, I set to work on this cake. ;-) Since it's a doctored cake, it's easy to prepare. And since it's a fudge cake, it's a fan favorite.

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Fudge Frosting

CAKE 

1 package plain yellow cake mix 

1 1/3 cups water 

1 cup chocolate syrup 

1, 3.9 oz package chocolate instant pudding mix 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/3 cup vegetable oil 

3 large eggs 

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray and dust with cocoa. Shake out the excess cocoa and set aside the pans. 
2. Place the cake mix, water, chocolate syrup, pudding mix, cocoa powder, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the ingredients are incorporated, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Blend again on medium speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and thickened. 
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it equally. Place the pans in the oven side by side. 
4. Bake until the center springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the layers from the oven, and place them on a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. 
5. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the layers, and invert them once onto a rack, then again onto another rack so that the layers cool right side up for 15 more minutes. The cakes may sink a bit in the middle, that is due to the brownie-like texture of the cake.
6. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting (recipe follows). 

FROSTING 

1 stick butter, softened 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 cup chocolate syrup 

4 cups confectioners sugar 

1/8 - 1/4 cup milk 

1 tsp vanilla

Dash of salt 

1. Place the butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate syrup in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed until just combined. 
2. Add the confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla, and salt, and blend on low speed until the sugar is combined, then increase the mixer to medium-high speed and blend 1 minute longer. Add more milk - 2 tablespoons at a time until smooth and spreadable. 
3. Apply frosting to cooled cake.

Get ready to PAR-TAY!

If you're a fan of "doctored" cake mix cakes, make sure to check out these other Harris Sisters' recipes:

• Triple Strawberry Cake
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cake
• Confetti Cake with Buttercream Frosting
• Grasshopper Poke Cake

How to Break in a New Ball Cap

I am a long-time wearer of baseball caps.  I think my love of them started in college- born of late nights and early mornings, and the need to throw something on that would cover bed head for an early morning class.

In any case, I wear a ball cap at least twice a week now- usually on days that I'm cleaning house, working on chores and errands, etc- you know the not-so-fabulous, but oh-so-necessary, things we all do from time to time. 

And over the years, I've had a few tried and true caps that are my go-to's.  I have broken them in the old fashioned way through literally years and years of use.  

But how do you break in a new ball cap so it fits just right from the start?  I can't say I've ever really figured that out- UNTIL NOW, that is.  If you have a hot shower, a coffee cup, and about 24 hours, then you too can have your new ball cap fitting just right.  What?!?!?  If I had known that's all it took, I could have been in business years ago.  I require those things to fully wake up each day!

Here's the deal. 

I'm from the old school of ball cap wearers.  I wear mine low, facing forward, ponytail out the back, with a major crimp in the brim. But everyone knows they come with a not so flattering, super stiff brim to start with, and the chances of a new ball cap fitting my head just right are pretty much nill. 

So, take your new ball cap into the shower with you.  Plop it on your head and let the hot water rain down on you.  This doesn't require a huge amount of time.  Just enough to saturate your hat through. This step helps mold the hat to your head.  Once you are done with that, curl the brim so that it fits into a standard sized coffee cup and leave it there to dry for about 24 hours.  This steps puts a nice curve into the brim of the hat.  It will probably be a little overly crimped when you first take it out, but it will loosen up a bit once it's on its own. 

So there you have it.  Another handy yet practical solution to one of life's occasional challenges!

Love and Support for Maddie Mae

I must say that it is rare that I post things like this, so you should know how special and important I find this wonderful family.  I worked with a lady by the name of Becky several years ago, and we became Facebook friends a while back. About a month ago, I read the unimaginable in my Facebook news feed.  Becky's daughter, Stacy, was killed in a head on collision when a drunk driver crossed the center line.  I cannot imagine how you deal with something like that.  She was 29 years old, mother of two, and had her whole life ahead of her.  

And as if the story could get worse, Becky's two grandchildren were also involved in this tragic wreck. Gage, age 2, is now home from the hospital, but Maddie, age 11 months, is still there, with a broken neck and months of therapy ahead of her. 

This is sweet Maddie Mae at a happier time.  

And here she is with her beautiful mother, who is surely watching over her now. 

And here is my friend, Becky, holding sweet Maddie Mae at the hospital.  It was the first time she was able to hold her following the wreck.  As you can see, Maddie is in a halo to stabilize her neck.  

My heart aches for this family- partly because I know them, and partly because I see that little girl and I just see my sweet baby Lexi.  But for the grace of God, that could be any of us in their position. 

I reached out to Becky to find out more and see if there was anything we could do.  She agreed to let me share their story here and asked for your prayers.  If just one person sees this and sends up a special prayer for Maddie and her family, then I think we've accomplished something worthwhile.  

Count your blessings each and every day.  Life is short and fleeting at best.  Prayers for Maddie and her wonderful family, please.  You can follow Maddie's story and get updates on her progress on the special Facebook page they created for her.