Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" chocolate cake with choco frosting - A day of double celebration

My best Diwali present arrived on evening of Diwali 2010 – It was the sweetest of the package I could ask for and will always be. Yes, my baby, Abigail came in to our lives and life has never been the same. Post delivery was highly eventful. - One being the birth of Abbey and second being me fighting for life. I kept everyone on their toes praying for my life. I held her in my chest soon after delivery …..and then ….fast forward …. I could remember only next day. I woke up at 3:00 in the ICU. Can say, Mommie took over center stage leaving baby alone. All the nurses and doctors did a fab job to save my life and I am totally indebted to them. Sometimes God can do wonders through physicians hands and brains. I am the best set example. Oh! and did I tell you ….. am a rosary girl. Always believe in the power of rosary. My wooden beads never fail me and was waiting for me when I got shifted from ICU to my own hospital bed.

I have seen the fine line between life and death and value life more than ever before. I always say now God give me a fair extension of life. Doctors came hugging and kissing next day saying I am a big survivor. So it is a double celebration for us. One, marked 2 years of our journey with Abbey and second for my 2 years of survival.

To date I believe my godmother, Margaret and Abbey’s godmother, Nandini were attending prayers during the time of delivery and those have done wonders. Thanks to both of you for the love and prayers you have showered throughout my pregnancy and after.

Fast forward 2 years

Our naughty cutie was totally unaware of chocolates as her parents don’t want to introduce it to her. We had plans of introducing chocolates slowly as she walk through her age 2. Let me say, best of our plans got shattered during a Friday mass when a Filipino lady introduced her to M&Ms. Gail has been completely hooked on to it ever after. So to make the day memorable I followed Hershey’s foolproof recipe for chocolate cake and “perfectly chocolate” chocolate frosting to go with it. The idea was to use some M&Ms to surprise her. Seeing the cake she went and licked the M&Ms and not to the cake. So we made a wish and blew the candle. I thanked myself for my extension to God and a lovely baby. Soon we all dived into the cake and photo session followed afterwards.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Grease and flour two 9-in. round baking pans. 
2. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on med speed 2 min. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. 
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. 

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
2/3 cups Hershey's cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. 
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on med. speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in Vanilla.

I used one pan (instead of 2) for baking the chocolate cake. It took me 50 minutes (yours may vary). So do the skewer test as you go by. Cut it into two and did the crumb coating and stuff. Decorated it with M&Ms and almond shavings. Oh! I forgot - did a skimpy frosting in the middle too with the same "perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting.