From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a birthday to celebrate this weekend. The birthday boy wanted a chocolate cake, but given the limitations of kitchens at the lake, common sense dictated the cake be made ahead of time and packed for travel. The cake I decided to make is extremely easy to prepare and it freezes beautifully. The recipe comes from Hershey's test kitchens, and it has been successfully made by experienced and novice cooks alike. I wanted a grand cake, so I doubled the recipe to make three 9-inch layers with enough extra batter to make a dozen cupcakes as well. I used whipped cream as a filling between the layers, and to improve the appearance of the finished cake, I coated the sides with toasted hazelnuts and the top with grated chocolate. The finished cake was quite attractive, but more to the point, it was drop dead delicious and looked like it took more effort than it actually did. This recipe has been around for a while now. I urge any of you who have not yet tried it, to give it a shot. It's hard to beat easy and delicious. Here is how the cake and frosting are made.
