Chocolate Friday ~ Cake

I haven’t made something for Chocolate Friday for some time.  Mainly because I needed to stop eating what I was making!  My family misses it so I thought I’d make a treat for them this week.  I went over to Pinterest and hunted on my boards.  This was the winner because I had all the ingredients on hand.

The recipe was easy to make and the cake is super moist.  The recipe called for beating the icing for 3 minutes after you cooked it, but in the comments someone said that made it to hard to spread.  I skipped that based on the comment, but I think maybe I should have done it for a bit as it might have “fluffed” up the icing and allowed it to spread more.  Or I could just double the icing recipe next time ;-)

Please note:  There is not one thing healthy about this cake.

Chocolate Poke Cake

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Glaze

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• chocolate shavings (freeze a chocolate bar, then use a potato peeler to make the shavings)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat for 3 minutes with an electric mixer.  Stir in the boiling water.  (The mixture will look very thin and runny, but don’t fret!  It will come out just right!)
3. Pour the mixture into your greased baking dish.  Bake for 40-42 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add all of the icing ingredients to a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Cool for 5 minutes, then beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
5. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, carefully poke deep holes into the cake.  Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, making sure to get some of the glaze into all of the holes.  (Use a rubber spatula to carefully spread the glaze evenly over the cake, if you need to.  Mine slid off to the sides a bit, but it was easily fixed.)
6. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the entire cake.  (Chocolate chips sprinkled on top would be good, too!)

Teen Mission Update

We are just about four months away from dropping the boys off at Teen Missions!  For those new to the blog, you can click on the picture to the right to more details – but our oldest, Mr. J, is going to Northern Ireland, and our second son, Mr. C, is going to Vanuatu.  They will be gone for 7 weeks this summer.

Fundraising has been in full force as they talk to people about the trip, send support letters out, and Mr. J works on getting his passport.  Mr. C already has his from going to Australia last year.  As of this writing Mr. J has about $1700 to go and Mr. C about $2700 {he had to raise more than his brother}.

One of the things they wanted to do this year is sell those bands “everyone” is wearing to raise money.  They are selling them to their friends and friends of friends.  Mr. J choose the bright green which glow in the dark and Mr. C choose the colors of Vanuatu’s flag for his.  They say “Getting dirty for God” and the bible verse Proverbs 4:20-27.

They choose the verse after studying it on a youth retreat.  It says:

My son, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.
Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:20-27

If you would like to donate, we can send you a support letter {just leave a comment and I’ll get your information} or you can donate online directly at Teen Missions {I’ll just need to supply you with their full names via email}.