Chocolate Almond Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

I have been having so stomach issues lately. We were hoping it meant that our pregnancy test was going to have two pink lines this month, but so far, not so good. I never had issues getting pregnant before, and yes I know I am older now, but it's been over a year and I am frustrated. I'm sure my mood is not being improved by the evil PMS fairy looming in the background. Sorry for being cranky. 

I tend to battle the blues by playing in the kitchen, and what better thing to bake when facing pending hormones, other than chocolate cake. And not just any ordinary chocolate cake, but a fudgy, moist chocolate cake, with a hint of almond. MMMMMM

This recipe comes from the book, The Cake Mix Doctor Returns. It is listed as Aimee's Almond Chocolate Chip Cake on page 22 of the Bundts and Pounds section of the book. With a name like that, I expected more of a marbled cake, than this fudgy goodness, which is why I changed the name of the recipe in the title of this blog. 

This recipe is super easy and not very time consuming at all. Here are the important tips: 

• Make sure you spray and flour your bundt pan. It keeps your cake from sticking. 
  
• Don't over mix your batter. About 2 minutes with your electric mixer is enough, and then transfer it to your bundt pan. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Your cake it going to expand. Don't expect it to be the same size it was when you added the batter, so make sure you use a big enough bundt pan. The cake should be spongy and bounce back to the touch when you take it out of the oven. 
  
• Let the cake cool completely before you decorate it. It won't be pretty when you flip it out of the pan, but don't worry. The taste makes up for the plainness. 
  
• Sift the powdered sugar over the cake. Use a strainer if you need to. And then add the sliced almonds to the top. It makes the cake so pretty. Then serve it with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream for an extra dose of decadence. 

Chocolate Almond Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• Pam Baking Spray, for misting the pan
• flour, for dusting the pan
• 1 box (18.25 oz) Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake mix
• 1 box (3.9 oz) Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding
• 2 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 c milk
• 2 tsp pure almond extract
• 1 TBSP powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP sliced almonds

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350-degrees F. Coat your bundt pan with cooking spray and then dust with flour. Shake out any excess flour that doesn't stick. 
2. Combine cake mix, pudding, chocolate chips, milk, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. 
3. Transfer the batter to your prepared bundt pan and place on the center oven rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake springs back when you press on it. 
4. Allow the cake to cool for 15 in the bundt pan. Then use a butter knife to gently remove the cake from the sides of you pan, and flip it onto your cake plate or a wire rack. Let it finish cooling for another 30 minutes. 
5. Sprinkle the top of your cooled cake with the powdered sugar. Then spread the sliced almonds across the top. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	313
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.3g	16%
Saturated Fat 6.5g	32%
Cholesterol 2mg	1%
Sodium 462mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 49.6g	18%
Dietary Fiber 3.3g	12%
Total Sugars 34.3g
Protein 2.5g
Vitamin D 0mcg	1%
Calcium 79mg	6%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 21mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Recipe analyzed by

I can honestly say I am surprised at how much I loved this cake. and I hope you love it as well. Let me know if there are any other recipes in this book that you'd recommend, and please share your pictures if you make this cake. 

Happy Baking!

Kristie