Easy ((and eye-poppingly good)) Homemade Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cake
I recently shared the recipe for a yummy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake. That chocolate cake is really quite a cake, so easy to make and not fussy in the least and it will always perfectly please those blessed by eating it. BUT, I can not help but wonder what would happen if I changed a few things within the body of this recipe. And with a few flits of my brain and the best 4-year old helper imaginable – cake history is going to be made ((or at least a really great cake will be made!)). 
Here is what I want to know: Is it possible to make an equally yummy (or maybe even a more delicious) cake by omitting the boxed mix from the original recipe? 
In order to figure this out, I went to the bible of baking, my Grandma’s ((my momma’s momma FYI)) 1978 Betty Crocker Cookbook. On page 247, among a variety of recipes, I chose “Bonnie Butter Cake” to be my cake ‘mix’. 
I substituted the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt & butter in place of the cake mix & oil (still no eggs, even though eggs were listed in Bonnie’s recipe, it takes real talent to break an egg and make a nice mess when no egg is included in the recipe – but Gracie forgave me). I can’t think of a good reason for the cheesecake pudding switch – except it seemed like a good idea at the time. 
Okay, pause on the cake recipe for a minute. This would be a great “make your own cake mix recipe”. Here is what I would do: combine flour, sugar, baking powder & salt (mix well) and store in a tightly lidded jar until ready to use ((make 2 or 3 at once)). 
Back to this recipe. Gracie was a big help in every step of this recipe – from gathering ingredients, to measuring & stirring, to licking and tasting. The above broken egg was not caused by her doing. She thought it was her fault, when I confessed it was me, she told me it was okay (she’s my sweetie!). 
This is a great recipe for little hands – and tongues. I love it when she tells everyone the recipe, the way she says salt is so cute. Making memories & cake – seems like it just can’t get any better. 
At this point, my little baker asked “can I have a lick” 63 times. Notice her little mouth is clean – she patiently waited for my yes! 
This recipe will perfectly fill a 9″x13″ baking dish – prepare the dish by using parchment paper & Baker’s Joy. This is not a cake we want to stick to the bottom of the dish. ((Well, now that I think about it – what cake do I want to stick to the bottom of a dish??!?)) 
Ladies, grab your whisks & let the licking begin! 
We can attest, the batter tastes just as good as the cake does! The homemade flavor of this cake comes through clearly. I believe I have just found my new favorite cake ((and it isn’t even accessorized with buttercream!!)) 
I can now answer my own question: “YES! It is very possible to recreate this deliciousness without a box!”. One thing I didn’t expect before tasting this cake, the edges, sides & bottom of the cake do something magical while baking. Maybe it is the butter, or possibly the pure cane sugar — I really don’t know why. But these parts of the cake develop a crunchy crispiness that is extraordinary! I am usually a center kind of girl – but with this cake, the edges are certainly the way to go! ((But the center is not going to disappoint!))
- 2-3/4 c all purpose flour
- 1 t salt
- 2-1/2 t baking powder
- 1-4 oz box of cheesecake flavored instant pudding
- 2 c milk
- 1-1/2 c sugar
- 2/3 c softened butter
- 2 t vanilla
- 1-1/2 c mini or milk chocolate chips (or a combination of both)
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until evenly incorporated.
- In another medium mixing bowl, combine pudding & milk. Mix until smooth. Add sugar, softened butter and vanilla to the pudding mixture.
- Once the wet ingredients are well combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir vigorously until lumps are gone.
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared 9"x13" baking dish ((I like to spray with Baker's Joy and line with parchment paper and then spray with Baker's Joy again)).
- Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the cake batter & place the cake into the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until center is set.
- Once center is set, remove from oven & allow cake to cool for an hour before cutting.