CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY CAKE

 Tuesday was my first time to host the canasta group since I started seriously to try to take off a few pounds. I usually try to make desserts with less sugar, but I wanted to eliminate added sugar completely for me at least.

I felt like chocolate and I felt like cherries since I have been enjoying some fresh cherries. So I decided to do both chocolate and cherries. Winner! Winner!

To do chocolate and cherries, the first thing that came to my mind was a chocolate cake mix (zero-sugar) and cherry pie filling (no-sugar-added) and that's what I did.

Since the Zero-Sugar Devil's Food cake mix doesn't come with pudding, I decided I would just add a 4-serving package of sugar-free chocolate instant pudding and I would have the cake mix with pudding. 

The outcome though was a little surprise, but a pleasant surprise. The finished cake tasted more like a rich fudgy brownie. I decided maybe the cake mix with pudding included doesn't have as much pudding as if you used a plain cake mix and added a pudding mix. 

I added a scoop of ice cream for everyone else, but I just ate mine plain since my ice cream was not a no-sugar-added variety.

Everyone else enjoyed their dessert so I will consider making it again. Of course, if you don't want to eliminate the sugar in your cake, just use a regular cake mix (without the pudding) and add a pudding mix.

PRINT RECIPE.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY CAKE

1     package (Zero-Sugar) devil's food cake mix 

1     4-serving size package Sugar-Free chocolate instant pudding

1     can (21 ounces) No-Sugar-Added cherry pie filling

2     large eggs

1     teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix with a whisk until well blended. Then add the pie filling, eggs, and flavoring.

Stir on low for 1 minute with electric mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Increase the speed to medium (1 notch up) and beat for another minute or two.

Scrape the sides of the bowl again. Batter will be thick.

Spread into the pan and

bake for 30 minutes or until it springs back when lightly touched in the center.

Allow to cool before serving. 

You can frost it, if you like with your favorite chocolate frosting. OR dust it with powdered sugar (less sugar). OR just top with a scoop of ice cream (No-Sugar-Added for even less sugar).

Cover with foil or top for pan at room temperature for up to five days (if it will last that long).