All Along

It was there, under my nose. It was the very last place I looked. Isn't that always the way?

A game of hide and seek in the kitchen. Its back was turned to me...and that's when I saw it. Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake.

I pulled the container of Hershey's Cocoa from the shelf and scanned the ingredients once more just to be sure I had everything needed, and that I was indeed not imaging things. No butter?

No butter. Hallelujah!

Back to back snowstorms were testing us and I was determined to pass with flying colors.

This cake aced it.

Dark, moist, chocolate cake greatness.

I imagined a piece of cake sitting in a bowl filled with a shallow pool of ice cold whole milk (how I used to enjoy it as a kid). The milk would turn to chocolate milk, sweet with soggy crumbs. It could only be eaten with a spoon when represented in this way.

Instead of cake rounds, I ended up making two 8x8 square tins. There was no frosting and no powdered sugar to adorn. Just nice plain chocolate cake. The kind of cake that leaves sticky remains in the bottom of the pan and clings to your finger tips when you're slicing a piece or two for after dinner with espresso.

One tin was enjoyed thoroughly that week, the other was frozen for later consumption (later was just one week later, by the way).

Chocolate cake success is Roberto making quick work of the chocolaty remains at the bottom of the tin by scraping away with a butter knife while I'm licking fingerprints of sticky cake goodness from my serving hand. Yes, chocolate cake success.