This week was chocolate desserts week.

For Pi day (3.14), I made a chocolate pecan pie.  The boys were evenly divided between chocolate cream pie and pecan pie so this was the compromise.  I basically merged the Karo pecan pie recipe with the Hershey’s chocolate pie recipe and it came out well.

Chocolate Pecan Pie
inspired by Hershey’s and Karo Syrup

Ingredients:
1 cup Dark Corn Syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Stir together all ingredients except pecans (and pie crust) thoroughly.
3. Mix in pecans.
4. Pour into pie crust.
5. Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Cool for 2 hours before serving.

Wednesday we had a birthday and he, of course, wanted chocolate cake.  This cake was the best non-box-mix chocolate cake I’ve made.  I think pairing it with the chocolate icing (Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting) was a bit much.  I also think I have better icing recipes so I’m not going to duplicate it here.  I also halved this recipe to make a single round.

Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake
from the Hershey’s Cocoa packaging

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease & flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the boiling water.  (Batter will be thin.)
6. Pour into pans.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes.
8. Cool 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.
9. Frost once completely cooled.