THE CAKE DOCTOR'S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CAKE, ADAPTED

One of the neighborhoods in our development had a pig pickin', and we were invited. I was asked to bring a dessert and decided to use the Cake Doctor's website to find a recipe for a box of Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix. I first tasted this cake at the party, when it was room temperature, and didn't care for it much, although everyone who tried it raved over it. There was a little left over and I put in the fridge overnight. I tasted it after lunch today, cold, and was surprised to note that the texture and flavor had improved greatly. I think this would be a great make-ahead recipe -- something to make the day before a party, rather than the day of, so the flavors can mellow out in the fridge. Serve it cold for best flavor. It doesn't need ice cream or any enhancements, and the frosting (my recipe, not the Cake Doctor's) is perfect with it -- not too sweet.

The Cake Doctor's Double Chocolate Kahlua Cake, Adapted
Rating: 8 out of 10
1 package (18.25 oz.) plain devil's food cake mix
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey's)
1/2 cup Kahlua (or generic coffee liqueur)
1/2 Tbsp. instant coffee powder (decaf is ok)
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Place oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x12 pan; set aside.

Place the cake mix, cocoa, Kahlua, buttermilk, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl; blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Pour the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven and bake till cake is barely done (when a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs), about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of pan and invert onto a cooling rack; then invert again onto another rack so that the cake is right side up. Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes - 1 hour. Return cake to baking pan and frost top with Mocha Cinnamon Frosting (see recipe below). Refrigerate overnight and serve cold for best flavor. Garnish top with chocolate shavings or broken cinnamon bark.

Mocha Cinnamon Frosting
4 oz. Neufchatel cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. coffee essence (see recipe below)
1 tsp. Mexican or regular vanilla
1/2 cup fat-free half and half
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) chocolate instant pudding
1-1/2 cups frozen and thawed non-fat whipped topping

In medium bowl, beat cheese till soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon, coffee essence, vanilla and half and half and beat til well combined and smooth. Add pudding and beat on medium speed 2 minutes, till smooth and well combined. Fold in whipped topping carefully. Refrigerate till cake is thoroughly cooled.

Coffee Essence
1/4 cup Kahlua or generic coffee liqueur
3 Tbsp. instant coffee powder

Combine ingredients in a small jar. Refrigerate and use as needed. A teaspoon added to chocolate chip cookie batter is a wonderful enhancement.