Make Diane’s Chocolate Cake and the fluffiest frosting ever!

This month, to start our brand new 2023, I have a scrumptious chocolate cake and very fluffy frosting recipe given to me by probably the Cornwall Seeker’s #1 fan, Diane Legault. Diane comes into my store, Sharyn’s Pantry without fail the first week of each month saying – ‘Hi Sharyn are the Seekers here yet?’ We have yet to disappoint this dear lady. Out she goes with The Seeker in her hand.

Last August, Diane told me about this delicious cake and frosting recipe. She even gave Gary and I a piece to enjoy. I just had to get her recipe and make it myself. So yummy! I’m so happy to feature The Seeker’s #1 fan in my January column. We use simple ingredients… a cake mix, cherry pie filling, chocolate instant pudding mix and Cool Whip. It’s just that simple. Thanks Diane for caring and sharing with all of us.

Please remember that my store, Sharyn’s Pantry, will be open only on Thursday and Friday 9-5 and Saturday 9-3. Seniors Day is now on Thursdays. I will be in the store these days serving you as I have for the past 42 years and enjoying every minute.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy and prosperous New Year.

Ingredients

THE CHOCOLATE CAKE:

• 1- Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake mix
• 2 tbsp. Sharyn’s Pantry Dutch Process cocoa
• 1- 19 oz. can of cherry pie filling (or 19 oz. of Sharyn’s Pantry cherry pie filling)
• 1 tsp. pure almond extract (bring in your extract bottle and just buy what you need or want)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (same here, bring your own bottle and just buy what you want)
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• Dutch process cocoa to dust over your greased cake pan (instead of flour)

THE FLUFFIEST CHOCOLATE FROSTING EVER:

• 1- 4oz. size chocolate instant pudding mix
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of icing sugar, sifted
• 3/4 of a litre size Cool Whip Dessert topping- thawed of course

Method

• Turn you oven on to 350 degrees F. regular bake. Set your oven rack to 2nd from the bottom.
• Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with no stick spray, then dust the pan with a little sifted Dutch process cocoa to cover all of the bottom thinly. Shake out any extra. (The cocoa will act like flour but will not make the outside of your cake turn white, the cake will stay a chocolate colour on the edges.)
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, cocoa, cherry pie filling, both extracts and the beaten eggs. Mix by hand, NOT with an electric mixer. Just stir to combine everything. Mix well.
• Pour the cake batter evenly into your prepared cake pan. Spread the top evenly with a spatula.
• Bake your cake in a pre-heated 350 degree F. oven for 27 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Once baked, keep, the cake in the pan, place on a wire cooling rack. Cool completely.

-Now you can make the frosting.

• Use an electric mixer here. First on low speed, combine the pudding mix, 1/2 cup of icing sugar sifted (you measure the icing sugar and then sift it) and the cup of cold milk. Whip this with your mixer until nice and fluffy.
• Stir in the thawed Cool Whip. To measure 3/4 of the container, first using a knife, make a cross to divide the Cool whip into 4 equal portions (like a clock 12 -3-6-9 o’clock) Now take 3/4 of the container of Cool Whip. You will have 1/4 left for other uses.
• Spread this frosting to cover the top of the completely cooled baked cake. Swirl it to your heart’s content. There is lots and lots of frosting.
• Store your cake in the fridge. I use those handy little plastic do-dads you get from your favourite pizza restaurant. My kids save them for me. They will keep the plastic or foil you cover your cake with from sticking on the frosting. So handy.
• Thanks again Diane for sharing and caring.