Chocolate Chip Birthday Cake

My brother, Asher, just had a birthday a few days ago, but we celebrated it on Saturday with my grandma and uncle. My Grammy helped me decorate the cake and Asher loved it!

So Asher asked for a chocolate chip birthday cake with chocolate frosting, and it was the easiest thing in the world to make! We use this cake recipe so often for when we have company just because it’s so easy to make, and the kids and adults love it! Plus, when you use store-bought chocolate frosting and make your own white icing, you can have the cake made and decorated before you can say “happy birthday’!

Chocolate Chip Birthday Cake

• 1 box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/4 c oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 c chocolate chips
• 1 can chocolate frosting

Buttercream Frosting: (Wilton)

• 1/4 c vegetable shortening
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. milk

For the cake:

Coat the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish with the oil. Dump everything else in and mix it with a fork until all the ingredients are moistened. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

For the icing:

Cream the butter and shortening together. Add vanilla. Gradually add the sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl often. When all the sugar has been mixed in, it will appear dry. Add milk and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. (If you want to make chocolate buttercream, then just add 1 1/2 oz. of melted unsweetened chocolate and 1/2 tbsp. of milk.)

To decorate:

Apply a thin layer of chocolate frosting to the top of the cake.

For the border, I used tip#21 and made this rope pattern by piping an S on its side, then, starting from the middle of the first sideways S, piped another one, and so on.

For the letters, I used tip#3.

I know this is a fuzzy picture, but for the stars I used tip#16. Just apply a little bit of pressure to the icing bag, then stop and remove the tip from the cake to create these stars.

It was a fun night. ‘Nuf said!

---