DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP SNACK CAKE

 Tuesday was my turn to host our canasta group. It was just four of us as one was in Hawaii for two weeks. This Double Chocolate Chip Snack Cake I served helped make up for the rest of us not there with her.

I found the recipe in a "Dump Cake" cookbook, but I don't really consider it a dump cake type recipe. I chose it because it used a devil's food cake mix for the "base" and that meant I could substitute a Zero-Sugar devil's good cake mix to make a dessert that is sugar-free. Since Monday was St. Patrick's Day and no one in the group requires sugar-free, I used some chocolate mint chips I like. Even though the recipe only has 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, Friend Ellen, recognized with the first bite that it contained cinnamon. 

The recipe calls for a 10 inch round baking dish but I used a 9-1/2 inch Corning Ware baking dish. The result was a very generous piece of cake when I cut it in 9ths. It was very pretty and even though Friends Fran and Janice thought it was too big and they would take half of it home, they enjoyed the whole thing. I do think the next time I will use a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan and it will still be good, just not as thick a serving.

If you like a chocolate cake to serve ever once in a while, this is just the recipe for you. Take my word for it.

PRINT RECIPE.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP SNACK CAKE

1       package devil's food cake mix, divided (I used a Zero Sugar one)

2       eggs

1/2    cup water

1/4    cup oil

1/2    teaspoon ground cinnamon

1       cup chocolate chips, divided (I used chocolate mint chips)

1/4    cup packed brown sugar (I used truvia brown sugar complete)

2       tablespoons butter, melted

3/4    cup white chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10 - inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

(I used a 9-1/2 inch round baking dish, but next time I will use a 9 x 13 - inch pan so the cake feeds more.)

Reserve 3/4 cup dry cake mix. Set aside.

Combine the remaining cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

With the electric beater in the lowest speed, mix until mostly dry. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the pan.

Spread the batter in the pan.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside.

Combine the reserved dry cake mix with the brown sugar in a smaller bowl. Stir in the melted butter with a fork to make sure all of the cake mix is wet.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the pan.

Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool before cutting in squares/bars for serving.

Option: Drizzle the white chocolate (melted) over the cooled cake. I did not do this.

It was a fun, entertaining afternoon even though Janice and Fran beat Ellen and me by 30 points. We were down as much as 1200+, but never gave up. That's what's important isn't it? How you fight the game.