5 large sized eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup cool tap water
1 package French Vanilla Duncan Hines® cake mix
1 cup of Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, Duncan Hines ®
1/4 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa, like Hershey's European style®
2-4 Tbsp liquid red food color (Note:
paste food coloring
does better than the liquid type)
For the Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Cakes:
Preheat oven to 350° and grease two 9-inch by 2-inch deep
round pans.
In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil and water, pour cake mix and cocoa on top
and stir with paddle to combine. Scrape bowl and add food color to make a deep
red color. Mix on medium for 2 minutes.
Scrape bowl and pour into prepared pans. Bake until top springs back when
touched lightly, about 30+ minutes.
Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out and sit right-side-up on
cooling racks.
For the frosting:
In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter. Beat in
confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in pecans. Use frosting
to fill and ice cake. Slice and serve on individual plates.
From Tami Smith
