A highly recommended  chocolate cake (from a mix, can you believe it!) --nearly irresistible --

Chocolate Pièce de Résistance

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix*
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate** pudding mix
4 large eggs
2 to 3 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in ¾ cup warm water***
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sour cream
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350° F   Lightly grease and flour (see below for a hint on this) 12-cup fluted tube pan; set aside.

To prepare cake:  combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, coffee mixture, oil and sour cream in large bowl; beat with an electric mixer set at high speed for two minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack ten minutes.  Invert cake onto serving plate; cool completely.

For glaze:  combine white chocolate chips and milk and either microwave, see method and timing, or melt slowly in top of double boiler, see method.   If using microwave, in small microwavable bowl --  microwave on MEDIUM (50% power) 50 seconds; stir; microwave on MEDIUM for additional 30-second intervals until chips are completely melted; stir well after each 30-second interval. If using double boiler,  melt chips in milk over barely simmering water; check frequently, stirring when necessary..

Pour warm glaze over cooled cake. Cooling the cake sufficiently before glazing is important.  My first attempt, the glaze melted and nearly disappeared into the cake and over the sides of the cake plate   After glazing, let cake stand at least 30 minutes before serving.

We adapted this from a set of free, unsolicited recipe cards mailed to us.  Very handy for a party. 

*We used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge (Andrew’s choice).
**Since we did not have instant chocolate we used instant cheesecake (and it was good); we assume just about any small package of instant pudding will do.
***Had some coffee leftover from the morning and just used an equal amount of that.  Cannot imagine it would matter; we do drink moderately strong coffee.
RECOMMENDATION:  When greasing and flouring any pan for a chocolate cake, dust the pan with unsweetened cocoa powder instead of flour to eliminate the unattractive white residue that can form.  Clearly, this is worth doing if you are not icing the cake.  A cake such as this one, just partially glazed, benefits from your using the cocoa powder rather than flour.  

This recipe has been kitchen (and guest) tested.  A real winner!

In 2001, used recipe above  for Andrew's birthday cake, but added a twist.  Using a box of Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe White Cake with Jello-brand Instant Cheesecake Pudding (small package) and following rest of the recipe for the chocolate versions above.  I created a tripe-tiered cake with two chocolate layers and a white layer between; 8-inch size pans.  
Just use parchment liners, no greasing and flouring of pans at all if using these layer-cake pans, or the angel-food-cake pan with straight sides as opposed to a bundt pan, especially if you plan to ice the cake rather than use the white-chocolate glaze.
Chocolate icing on middle layers and vanilla buttercream all around the outside.  Yummy!  
Clearly there was batter left over.  That went into a 9-inch angel-food-cake pan marble-cake style; cooked at same temp and for same time as the cake above.

You can find this and related recipe(s) by tapping here on the Home Cookin' index.

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