Chocolate Cake with Raspberries and Almonds

Chocolate Cake with Raspberries and Sliced Almonds

3/4 cup of  real butter

1 1/2 cups of sugar

¼ cup cocoa

2 eggs

1 1/2  teaspoons vanilla

½ cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons oil
1 cup of chocolate chips (spread over top of cake before baking)

Dry ingredients

2 cups of flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

Yummy Chocolate Cake

I love chocolate cake. It is probably my favorite dessert. When I have had a long day, am stressed out, or I just want to make an easy, delicious treat, this is what I go for. I use boxed mixes 90 percent of the time. But today I didn't have a chocolate cake mix. This recipe is a pretty easy and great substitute. It whips up quickly and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. 
And it was one of those days where I just needed some chocolate. Ever have one of those days? mmhmm.....chocolate cures just about everything, doesn't it? 

Want some raspberries on your decadent chocolate cake? Yum! 

Start by creaming butter, cocoa and sugar together.  Add eggs and vanilla and sour cream and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl blend the flour, soda and salt together.  Add flour mixture to the cocoa mixture. Then add hot water a little at a time and beat until smooth.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes depending on your oven and altitude.  Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes.

Chocolate cupcakes with raspberries and almonds

I like to make both cupcakes and a cake for my dessert.  My grandkids love cupcakes when they come over and I can give a few away as a gift. (who doesn't like cupcakes?)

Cream sugars and butter and Mix it all up in your Kitchenaide Mixer.....add the eggs and flour mixture....

Pour the batter into a 9 x 9 cake pan and 9 cupcake papers and bake them up in 350 degree oven

I topped my chocolate cupcakes with about 7 chocolate chips each...to make them richer and tastier

 So with this mix I did 9 cupcakes and a square 9 x 9 glass cake pan with the remains. I put about 3/4 cup of chocolate chips onto the cake batter just after I poured it into the pan.  I put about 6 to 7 chocolate chips into each cupcake paper.  I put both just on top, last thing to go into the mix.  

Add the eggs to the mix

With the cocoa and flour and sugar

I used these red, foil, cupcake papers for my chocolate cupcakes

I made a 9 x 9 chocolate cake and 9 chocolate cupcakes....what's with all those 9s? 

Then I baked them, checking the cupcakes after about 18 minutes. I have a convection oven and sometimes it takes longer when I have it on, and sometimes I am surprised how fast stuff cooks in there!! I leave the cake in and start checking it after about 25 minutes. 

I threw about a 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips on top of my chocolate cake

Homemade chocolate buttercream icing on top of my chocolate cake

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 + Tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla
• add more sugar if it is too runny, add more milk if it is too dry. Mix up in your mixer.

Top with sliced almonds and then add 3 raspberries to each cut piece of cake, or cupcake, when serving.

When they were done I frosted them with chocolate buttercream frosting and topped them with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds. Sooooo Yummy! 

Don't you wanna bite of my chocolate cupcake? Hmmm?  YES YOU DO!