Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Three ingredients in the batter. That’s it. Chocolate cake mix, a can of cherry pie filling, eggs, and a splash of almond extract. No oil, no water, no measuring cups full of stuff you don’t have.

The cherry pie filling does double duty here, keeping the cake incredibly moist while bursting with fruity pockets of cherry throughout. The almond extract ties it all together with that unmistakable Black Forest bakery flavor.

Then you poke holes all over the warm cake and pour a boiled milk chocolate frosting right over the top, letting it seep down into every crevice. It’s messy. It’s glorious. It’s the kind of cake you bring to a potluck and leave with an empty pan.

Kitchen Tips

• Mix by hand, not with a mixer. Overmixing cake-mix batters makes them tough. A wooden spoon and some elbow grease are all you need.
• Poke the holes while the cake is still warm so the frosting soaks in properly. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon for generous channels.
• Let the frosting cool slightly before pouring. Too hot and it runs right through to the bottom. You want it thick enough to pool in the holes and spread across the top.