Lake Neighbor Cake

There’s something about lake neighbors that’s just different than regular neighbors … perhaps it’s the fact you both agree that the lake is your happy place. A common theme with my neighbors (old & new) seems to be sending lavish beverages over or down to me and sometimes coming over with their tractor to unstick things ~ always something going on.  Over Labor Day weekend, I was treated to Whiskey Sours, Cosmos & Margaritas brought over every afternoon just in time for high tea! Perhaps its my wild children who are in the lake from sunrise to sunset that makes my neighbors feel compelled to send beverages over to assist with the edge, whatever the case ~ I’ll take it!  

All that to say, the last thing I was expecting was a cake when I arrived home after Labor Day weekend. THIS CAKE, a chocolate chip cake was absolutely DIVINE. Let me also disclose that I am not a big cake person, nor am I a baker, but I had to have another and was not willing to wait & “hope” she would make another one. 

 I asked for the recipe and shortly learned that my neighbor was a published Nashville cook with this recipe being printed in New York Times Best Selling author, Anne Byrn's cookbook, The Cake Mix Doctor AND on the cover nonetheless. If that wasn’t intimidating for my non-baking self I don't know how else to explain it. It took me three days to get up the courage to attempt...fast forward there is NONE left (again)! I literally screamed at my husband for eating the last piece.  

This recipe and many more are being printed again in Anne Byrn's new cookbook, A New Take on Cake coming in November. You can read my neighbor, Stacy's take on what make this recipe her go-to here ! It is absolutely one of the best cakes I've ever put in my mouth and most definitely the best one I've ever made!! Thank you for loving on my family and I with this cake ~ I cannot wait to taste many of your dishes and concoctions for years to come! AND thank you for letting me share this cake with Smith Lake!

Chocolate Chip Cake

~ from Nashville Cook, Stacy Ross

• 2 boxes of Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden Cake Mix
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 pkg. (6.5oz) chocolate chips*                                                                                          
• 1-4oz. pkg. Baker’s German's Sweet Chocolate
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs                 
• Baker’s Joy cooking spray

1. In Cuisinart with steel knife inserted, drop (one at a time) 1” squares of German chocolate. Chop until fine.

2. Combine in large mixing bowl milk, oil & eggs.  Add 1 box of cake mix & 6 tablespoons from the second box, pudding mix, chocolate chips, & chopped German chocolate. Mix well.

3. Grease pans with Baker’s Joy cooking spray. Bake 325° in tube pan or 2 loaf pans for an hour or until done.

*tip: The “mini” chips work well if your choc. chips want to stick and prep your pan with Crisco and dust with flour.