This is the easiest of all. Buy Duncan Hines devilsfood cake and Duncan Hines milk chocolate icing. Make according to the directions on the box with these changes:

Add one half cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons imitation vanilla and blend in one melted Hershey chocolate bar or two rounded tablespoons Hershey chocolate ice cream topping. Bake in a greased, dusted with dry cocoa nine by thirteen baking pan.

As you can see the above cake has fallen in the center. If this happens do not be alarmed. Those center pieces will be the best tasting, guaranteed!!!!

When cooled to room temperature top with the can of Duncan Hines milk chocolate icing. As a finishing touch to the cake use a dinner knife and with the rounded tip start at one end and see-saw back and forth from one side of the cake to the other, going back and forth from side to side about one half inch apart to the other end of the pan. It gives it a nice wavy professional finish.

A big secret in baking cakes, cookies, cinnamon roles, cornbread and any rolls and bread is to take it from the oven just seconds before quite done because they are very hot and continue to bake a few more seconds after you remove them from the oven.

I have sometimes taken cakes to my Real Estate office in Venice Florida that the only thing I changed from the directions on the Duncan Hines cake box was getting out of the oven just as it is barely done, and was ask for my recipe for that delicious cake they had just devoured. The directions on the box, bake cake too done and by removing extra moisture takes away flavor from your cake. U

I have just divulged to you my best secret for baking cakes. Now……you can be an expert baker!!!!!!!!! And delight you family and friends with your baking expertise. As you listen to their praise…..just smile sweetly.

An after thought : Baking pies is a whole different ball game. Fruit pies must boil for a few minutes to get the sugar and cornstarch cooked to perfection.

FRF♥