With summer cookouts just around the corner, today’s SSG contribution from the sweet and uber talented Amanda from Serenity Now is certainly one I am going to be earmarking. I think after reading this post y’all might be with me in craving chocolate cake for breakfast! 😉
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Summer is always billed as a slow, relaxing season. Anyone who stays home with little kids all day knows otherwise. A mom’s summer days are filled with entertaining bored kids, finding lost flip flops, chauffeuring littles ones to VBS, parks, pools, and playdates; and generally trying to hold onto her sanity.
That’s why I like to rely on simple, tried-and-true recipes for those days that I’m just too worn out to cook something from scratch for the 15th neighborhood barbecue of the week. My recipe for Chocolate Picnic Cake fits the bill…it’s one of the easiest recipes I’ve tried and it satisfies the chocaholic chocolate lover in me.
Chocolate Picnic Cake
from Southern Living Cooking School, 2004
Cake Ingredients:
1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup mayonnaisse (sorry, no Miracle Whip!)
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional, but I highly recommend it)
Cola Frosting (recipe below)
1. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 baking pan. Beat the first 4 ingredients (and the cinnamon, if desired) at low speed with an electric mixer 40 to 45 seconds or until combined. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes (35 if you use a glass baking dish), or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Spread Cola frosting over warm cake.
Cola Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
6 T Cola soft drink (do not substitute diet cola!)
3 T unsweetened cocoa
1 (16 oz.) pkg. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium  heat, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Note: I got distracted by the rumble over the Barbies in the other room and accidentally used two sticks of butter, as you can see from the photos. I was able to fix my mistake by toying with the recipe, but don’t follow in my footsteps. My icing isn’t as smooth as can be (you can see that the powdered sugar didn’t dissolve all the way), but when you have two small helpers in the kitchen, perfection isn’t always an option!
This is an all-around picnic crowd pleaser, even if it contains a few unconventional ingredients! My husband, whose picky eating habits are famous, devoured a piece or three after getting over the idea of adding mayo to a cake mix.
Thank you so much, Amy, for inviting me to be a part of your inspirational Summer Survival Guide. I had a “Splendid” time! It was such an honor to share a post with your readers. Here’s to a happy Summer!
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Oh my word – does that look good, or what? I am a firm believer in adding mayo to chocolate cake, so you had me at hello here. (Not to mention, you absolutely cannot beat Duke’s mayo. It’s the best. Hands down!)
Amanda blogs about crafts, thrifty decorating, recipes, and home life over at Serenity Now. She’s a stay-at-home mom of two who loves mochas, shoes, and Target. Amanda hosts Weekend Bloggy Reading every week, a spot for bloggers to link up and share their best post of the week. She’s also currently hosting I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter, a link party for Silhouette/Cricut/Stencil/Transfer projects, tips, and tricks!
I hope you’ll head over to pay Amanda a visit at her place! You can also check her out on Twitter and Facebook. I am so glad she stopped by today to share this luscious recipe with us!
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
Wow! Printing this out!
Megan
mommyminded.blogspot.com
Wow, that looks delicious. I’ve always been tempted to try out a choc cake using mayo. I’m gonna bookmark this and save it. Thanks!
yummy! wish i had a piece right now 🙂 saving this recipe!
Yum! That icing sounds so good…I love that it had cola in it:) Perfect for summer for sure!
Looks nice and moist. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan because of the tendency to be dry.
Oh my my my… this is a weekend treat fo’ sho’! Cannot wait to try this! It looks and sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you, Amy, for sharing your blog with me today! 🙂 I was so excited to be here. 🙂
Yum! This sounds delicious but I’ll have to say that I actually prefer Miracle Whip over Mayo.
I am making this at this moment! I am subing Dr. Pepper for the cola though… hope it will be yummy!
These look absolutely amazing!! I must try them!
Made mayo choco cake first time, wid this recipie…. its awesome.
vil upload pics on my blog with link to ur post.
thanks,
irum.
dubaicraftermom.blogspot.com