Chocolate Picnic Cake: The Picnic Game

I'm going on a picnic, and I'm bringing Chocolate Picnic Cake, what else?

Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations loves picnics so much, that once again this year, she's playing the International Picnic Game. Each letter of the alphabet has been taken by a different blogger who will post what they're bringing to the Perfect Picnic A-Z!

Want to find out about the history of the picnic? Be sure and read the story at Months of Edible Celebrations.

The picnic this year is filled with international recipes and posts. We're going to have fun! Check out all the recipes at all these different blogs, so you can have your own Virtual Picnic... or real!


CHOCOLATE PICNIC CAKE

There are many recipes for Chocolate Picnic Cake--some using box mixes, some from scratch, but I'm posting an easy one! The nice thing about this Chocolate Picnic Cake is that it travels so well. It doesn't have to be refrigerated, and you can actually make ahead and freeze.  This is a variation on Mary Kennedy's Chocolate Kahlua Cake and my Double Chocolate Bundt Cake. They would all travel well to a picnic--virtual or real!!

Ingredients
1 (18 ounce) box Devil's Food  or Dark Chocolate Cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1  package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup warm water
1- 1/2 cups 70% or higher dark chocolate (chopped) or dark chocolate chips
1 cup (16 oz) sour cream
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Pour into oiled and floured Bundt pan.
3. Bake at 350 for about an  hour or until tooth pick comes out clean.
4. Dust with powdered sugar.

So, I'm going on a Picnic, and I'm bringing ...

A--Almond Joy Pie 
B--Baked Beans
C--Chocolate Picnic Cake
D--Dutch Funnel Cake
E--Easy Blender Chicken Pie
F--Five Bean Salad
G--Granola Bars
H--Herb and Cheese Pasta Salad
I--Incredibly Fruity Raspberry Cakes
J--Jeweled Picnic Bars
K--Kaltschale (cold fruit soup)
L--Long Island Lemonade Cocktail
M--Mushroom Tart
N--Nut Roast
O--Olive Nut Bread
P--Pomegranate Mousse Cake
Q--Quiche
R--Raspberry Chocolate Macaroons
S--Spicy Glazed Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs
T--Turkey and Pear wraps w/Curried Aioli
U-"Unoriginal Whole Foods Salad Bar"
V-Vegetable Things of Spring Salad+
W-White Caramel Popcorn
X X-quisite Layered Fruit Salad 
Y-Yellow Squash Casserole (soon:)
Z-Zucchini Bread 


(I'll be updating ALL the foods "I'll be bringing..." to the picnic on July 1)

I'm ready for the picnic! Thanks, Louise, for organizing the Picnic!

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake: 2 Easy Recipes

The other day Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations posted about the birth of Richard Hellman (Hellman's Mayonnaise) in 1876. The exact date coincided with her own birthday. Of course her birthday was many, many years later. Since there is no holiday dedicated to Mayonnaise, she and I think there should be. Where would tuna fish be without mayonnaise; where would sandwiches be? So better late than never, let's celebrate Mayonnaise Day. Be sure and check out the history of Mayonnaise, the life of Hellman, and a lot more info about mayonnaise at Months of Edible Celebrations.

Since it was Louise's birthday, she decided to make a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. I've made chocolate mayonnaise cake before, and you'd be surprised how many recipes there are. Seems like everyone's Aunt Sadie had a recipe. It shouldn't be a surprise to you that mayonnaise was used often in past generations. Remember mayonnaise in jello molds? That used to be a staple at special occasions all over the U.S. If you don't remember, be glad!

Since I try to post easy recipes here, I have two. The first is slightly harder since it means making a layer cake (2 layers) and icing the cake. That's not really difficult--just takes a bit more time--and sometimes layer cakes aren't even, so you need to do a bit of shaping. The second recipe is for a Chocolate Mayonnaise Bundt Cake. You just mix all the ingredients together and pour into the bundt pan and bake. Easy peasy. And delicious.

As I said there are many recipes for Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake. I've chosen to post Louise's recipe with her photos. Thanks, Louise, for your permission. Louise collects cookbooks, and this recipe is from That amazing ingredient: mayonnaise! Talk about your odd cookbook!

Mayonnaise Cakes are really moist, so it's hard to go wrong on either of these recipes.

Here's Louise's finished Birthday Cake:

Want to try a variation of the above recipe? Use Miracle Whip instead of Mayonnaise. Totally different taste. Most people are particular when it comes to the choice between Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip. I still think it's worth trying Miracle Whip in this chocolate cake recipe... or for that matter, in the bundt cake recipe below. Word to the wise: don't taste the batter before it's baked. It will seem a bit odd, but the final results will be delicious.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Bundt Cake
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
6 tablespoons dark cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla (or whatever you have)
1 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)
1 egg, whipped
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup chocolate chips or broken dark chocolate 70% or higher cacao
powdered sugar

Directions:
Blend dry ingredients.
Mix in vanilla, mayonnaise, egg and water-- just enough to get all ingredients blended.
Fold in chocolate chips (broken up chocolate)
Pour into greased Bundt pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cake.
Dust with powdered sugar.

Photos: Months of Edible Celebrations