Baking Therapy

Hey everyone!
Yesterday was a sad day, as it marked the 1 Year Anniversary of my best friend Natalie's passing. She died  August 3, 2010, after battling brain cancer for almost two years. She was 19.

Naturally, I turned to baking to help me cope. I made two desserts for a small gathering her parents held, and then I made a third with my other best friend, Cat :) It was a long day full of yumness, which was exactly what I needed. I'm posting all three recipes :).

The first is a delicious, yet incredibly simple, chocolate chip bundt cake. I found the cake recipe on Duncan Hines' website six or seven years ago, and I found the frosting recipe in a Hershey's cookbook.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
from Duncan Hines' website
Ingredients:
Yellow cake mix- 1 package
Instant chocolate pudding- 1 package (3.9 oz is fine)
Chocolate chips- 1 package
Eggs- 4
Canola oil- 1 c
Sour cream- 1 c

Directions:
1. Mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, and oil.
2. Mix in sour cream.
3. Pour 1/2 batter into bundt pan (greased & floured).
4. Sprinkle 1/2 chocolate chips over batter.
5. Add remaining batter, and sprinkle remaining chips.
6. Bake 1 hr @ 325 degrees F.

One Bowl Buttercream Frosting
from Hershey's Best Cakes
Ingredients:
Butter- 6 tbsp (softened)
Powdered sugar- 2 2/3 c
Hershey's cocoa- 1/2 c
Milk- 1/3 c (additional may be needed)
Vanilla- 1 tsp

Directions:
1. Beat butter.
2. Add powdered sugar & cocoa, alternating with milk.
3. Beat to spreading consistency (if too thick, add more milk, 1 tsp at a time).
4. Blend in vanilla.
5. For extra fun, sift some powdered sugar over the frosting :)

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake :)