Take the Cake

Do you have a dish or recipe that is your “go to”? You know, the recipe that your family asks you to make over and over and the one that you take when you take a dish to church or a gathering? For me it is chocolate chip cake. This is a simple cake, very unassuming when you look at it, but one that makes you say, “I have to have this recipe!”

That’s exactly how I acquired this recipe myself. A friend of mine made it for me as a teacher gift. I thought about how sweet it was that she took time to make me a cake, but didn’t think much of the cake itself. She would agree- it’s not a pretty cake. From the outside it looks like just a brown bundt cake. If you saw it at a covered dish dinner, it would likely be the last one cut because it is not appealing from the outside. But then…. you take a chance and cut it open and you realize that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover and you can’t judge this cake by it’s appearance!

This cake is moist and chocolatey and the most requested cake at my house. The kids smell it in the oven and suddenly appear. I even make two at a time- regular and gluten free for my daughter. (then cut it up and freeze in slices for her to eat later) In fact, for years I would either make or buy the themed birthday cakes for our kids’ birthdays until they discovered this cake. Now, it’s the only cake the boys want. Trust me- it does not make for great birthday pictures! I know when their friends come to parties they must think, “my poor friend. His mom didn’t even get him a nice birthday cake!” I have heard Gavin explain to his friends, “just wait until you taste it!”

This cake has not only been a connecting point for my family, but a connection with many people that I know. I have no idea how many people have been the recipient of this cake after a sickness, new baby, surgery, or tragedy. When I want to do something for a friend, this is my “go to”. I know exactly where the ingredients are at the closest store, I grab a cute plastic plate for $1 from the dish aisle, and I know it takes me exactly an hour to get it mixed and baked. This cake has nothing to do with it’s complexity and doesn’t have the “made from scratch” bragging rights, but it is just a token to say that I’m thinking about you and I want to share something that we love.

I can remember the day I first had it and where I was!!

April R.

My friend, April, is the one who made the cake for me. She got the recipe from her sister in law who likely got it from someone else. For the sake of keeping track, let’s say I am the 3rd “generation” to get the cake recipe. The people I have made it for are the 4th generation of this cake, and when they ask for the recipe and make it, it goes to the 5th generation of chocolate chip “cakers”. This came to my attention when I was at someone’s house and saw the chocolate chip cake! I am perfectly aware this is not a secret recipe or anything, so they could have googled the recipe, but I was curious. I asked about the cake. They said that they received a cake from a friend of mine and had to have the recipe. I didn’t bore them with the genealogy of the cake, of course, but I knew I had given that recipe to my friend and it was being passed along. That’s when I thought about how this simple cake has made connections over and over and continues to do so.

Share what you love with those you love. Don’t overthink your gifts and service to others. Don’t think that a not-from-scratch cake isn’t good enough to bless someone else. In fact, they will probably want the recipe. Just take the cake!

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Chocolate Chip Cake

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients.
• Grease and flour bundt pan or spray with baking spray and pour in the batter.
• Cook 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Gluten Free:  Substitute cake mix with gluten free yellow cake mix.

Triple Chocolate:  Substitute cake mix with a chocolate cake mix and pudding with chocolate pudding.  

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