>Now that nearly a third of the nation is ensnared by the groundhogs storm (whether it be rain, ice, snow or a mix), its time to spice it up. Do you want to make cake balls? They are really hit of the east lansing elementary students! Bee learned how to make them in second grade and she brought the recipe home to us. So here goes.

First, you pick your favorite cake recipe and make a cake. We like a variation of the very simple Hershey’s especially dark cake recipe I posted below. For whatever it is worth, I only add 2/3 cup boiling hot water instead of 1 cup (sometimes a speck less, depends on consistency). It makes the cake a bit denser, which i like. I also sometimes replace 1/2 c. butter for the oil (I know, how wicked), and when i do, i cream the sugar and butter first, then add eggs and vanilla. Then alternate adding 1/2 c. of the mixed up dry ingredients with adding 1/4 c. milk until both are all added. (Oh usually i add a little more than 3/4 c. chocolate and reduce the flour appropriately). Then slowly add the hot water.

Then, once your cake is baked and cooled, you plop it into a bowl or big plate, and mush it up (with your hands – that is the fun part!) with your favorite frosting (see one recipe below). Once it is all good and mushed, you roll it into balls, and for fun you can roll them in sprinkles or powdered sugar for decoration!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

ESPECIALLY DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter, Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting. And our variation: If you want to be really sinful, add a cup of chocolate chips to the melted butter along with the cocoa and mix till melted.