The post where Cherie takes over!

While Amber is relocating she trusted me to update the baking blog! So when my family asked for "something chocolate" for dessert I knew I had to deliver, you know, for the blog. So I flipped open my Paula Deen Chocolate magazine. I knew I had found a winner when I finally found a recipe that I already had the ingredients for (yes, lots of butter!). Well mostly, I was missing the Snickers bars but we didn't notice.

So do you remember some time ago Amber told us not every recipe was going to turn out? Well sometimes mine turn out looking like this:

Thankfully, it still tasted like this (minus the candy bar):

What I think happened is that when the time was up and the cake was still not done I gave it 5 more minutes, then a few more. I was so worried about over cooking the cake that I took it out and poured the frosting on. Then after consulting with my sous chef (otherwise known as the guy on the couch watching baseball but has an opinion on eating) I put the whole frosted cake back into the oven. Hey, I'm not proud. But this cake is so worth it!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Chocolate Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Spread chocolate frosting over hot cake. Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Chocolate Frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 (2.07-ounce) candy bars cut into 1/2-inch pieces (recommended: Snickers)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add cocoa, buttermilk and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Stir in candy bars and allow to melt. Stir in remaining confectioners' sugar and immediately spread over hot cake.