A Birthday cake made just for...

ME!

Yup, today is my birthday. Nothing special. Just another day.
Now, don't get me wrong... it was a GREAT day. Exactly what I wanted.

And here's the cake I made for myself:

Chocolate Blackout Cake.
Recipe comes from CooksCountrytv.com -- well DANG! I'm glad I printed it off and saved it earlier! I just now found out you can't get recipes for free from them anymore! No fear, I'll post any that I have! lol.

Chocolate Blackout Cake

Ingredients:

Pudding-
1 1/4C sugar
1/4C cornstarch
1/2tsp. table salt
2 C half and half
1C whole milk
6oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2tsp. vanilla extract

Cake-
8TBS unsalted butter (1stick), plus extra for greasing pans
1 1/2C all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans
2tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2tsp. salt
3/4C Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1C brewed coffee (yes, I am LDS... I traded this ingredient for 1C Nestle Chocolate Milk -- yum!)
1C buttermilk
1C packed light brown sugar
1C sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Instructions:
1. For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half and half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until it melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2-4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.

2. For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-in pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl.
3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee (milk chocolate), buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temp. at least 1 hour.
** after greasing/dusting pans, cut a piece of parchment/wax paper and place in bottom of pan and then grease and dust it also. Helps the bottom of your cake not stick!! **

5. To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 C pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 C pudding and last layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.



Side Note:
For some reason, both times I've made this cake my pudding DID NOT set right. The first time, I had time I was able to fix it. But this last time I didn't have time to do so. I used 8 Snack Pak Chocolate Pudding cups instead - 2 cups for each layer, and 4 cups (probably could've used 5) for the top and sides. It tasted close to the same and worked out just as well! This is why I don't like to bake... unless it's from a box! lol.