Celebrating Erich's Birthday + Recipe | The Perfect Chocolate Birthday Cake

      Yesterday we celebrated Erich's 15th birthday.  I made a chocolate birthday cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting for him.

For dinner we decided to surprise Erich and take him to Vinsetta Garage located on Woodward Avenue in Berkley, Michigan.  I didn't realize that it would be so busy on a Wednesday evening---we had an hour and a half wait for a table.  Next time I will definitly call for reservations.

The Vinsetta Garage first opened in 1919 to service Ford model T's.  It was a gas station and an auto repair shop for 91 years before it sold in 2011.    
 

    Autoweek's Vinsetta Garage television show aired on Discovery's Velocity in 2012.

There is plenty of interesting things to look at inside the restaurant and I love this metal locker with automotive stickers on it.  My father was a mechanic.  I remember visiting him in the garages that he worked at.

                                                        Erich had a Vinsetta Burger.

                                                           Happy 15th birthday Erich!

                                                            May God bless you always.  
                                         We love you very much and hope for the best for you!

                                                                    Mama and Papa

                                          Hershey's "Perfectly" Chocolate Cake

This is the best chocolate cake ever!  It's chocolaty, moist and light at the same time!  The chocolate cream cheese frosting is chocolate goodness, and not too sweet.  The cream cheese adds some oomph! 

Hershey's "Perfectly" Chocolate Cake
                                                                                                                                  Preheat oven 350* F

Butter two 9" round pans.  Line bottoms with parchment paper butter paper and lightly flour.

2  cups granulated sugar
1 3/4  cups all-purpose flour
3/4  cups Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2   tsp baking powder
1 1/2   tsp baking soda
1  tsp salt
2  large eggs
1  cup whole milk
1/2  cup vegetable oil
2  tsp vanilla extract
1  cup boiling water

   In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking power, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add the 2 eggs.  Pour in milk, oil and vanilla.  Using a hand held electric mixer beat ingredients on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water.  The batter will be very thin---do not worry it's supposed to be.  Pour batter into prepared pans, divide evenly.

Bake cakes for 30--35 minutes til toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool cakes on Wire racks for 10 minutes in pans.
Invert onto wire racks, removed from pans.  Remove parchment paper, and let them cool completely before frosting.

Mama's Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2  cup room temp butter
8 oz  cold cream cheese
2 tsp  good vanilla extract
1 cup  Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups  confectioner's sugar
4-8 tbs half & half

In a large mixing bowl cream butter til soft and fluffy with hand mixer..  Add cold cream cheese and cream til soft and fluffy.  Add vanilla mix in.  Add cocoa powder, mix til incorporated.  Add 3 tbs half and half, mix in.  Add one cup of confectioner's sugar alternating with 1-2 tbs of half and half until you achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.

I don't like to add more than 3 cups of confectioner's sugar.  I think it makes it too sweet, loosens the frosting too much and that makes harder to spread on cake and hold it's shape.

Also if your kitchen is warm---turn the air up and wait til it's cooler to frost the cake.

                                 ~Marcie