It’s Still Chocolate

Is this a lava field? A mud flow? Nope. It’s a chocolate sheet cake. Sorta.

You’d think if someone bakes a cake from a mix, it would come out perfect. It probably would. If you’re not me. If you follow directions exactly. If the cake mix is not out of date. A month shouldn’t make a difference–right?

I like to experiment in the kitchen. The results aren’t always the best. I could have added fresh baking soda. Or was it baking powder I should add? Whichever it should’ve been, I didn’t. Too much of either can affect the flavor of whatever baked good you’re making. I didn’t want a baking soda cake. No big deal if it didn’t rise as high as it might have if the mix had been fresh. Flatness doesn’t affect flavor.

The package instructions said to use three eggs. I had three eggs. More, in fact. However, I wanted to save them for something else. Such as omelets. The directions also said one quarter cup of Greek yogurt could be substituted for the eggs. I didn’t have Greek yogurt. But I had sour cream. The density of sour cream is pretty much the same. It must not be. The batter turned out thick and wouldn’t spread evenly. It didn’t really want to spread at all. Bullying was required to get the mass anywhere near the edges of the pan, as the top of the photos shows. It didn’t want to smooth out. Smoothness doesn’t affect flavor, either.

Those white edges? Too much flour. Normally when I use cooking spray to grease a pan I use a pastry brush or piece of paper towel to smooth it out. The lazies must have struck this time, so I didn’t. The flour coating turned out as spotty as the drops of oil. No matter how much I shook and patted the pan, the flour wouldn’t make a nice, even coating.. My suggestion? Don’t do either of those things. Shortening is a good option. You have to apply is smoothly or not at all.

No, I didn’t forget the frosting or get lazy. I’m just not a big fan of frosting.

Despite these small disasters, the cake tastes fine. Not the world’s most chocolate-y flavor, but good enough. I was baking this cake for me, not a party or pot luck.

I won’t tell you how many days ago I baked the cake or how close to being gone it is. Somethings should not be disclosed.