Candied Lemons: Chocolate Cherry Birthday Cake with Whipped Buttercream Icing by Brittany Kilpatrick

Each year for my birthday my sweet hubs asks what kind of cake I want for my birthday. About 99% of the time I ask for this bomb-digity Chocolate Cherry Cake. It's super simple to make and tastes incredible! This year I when I asked Mike (my husband) what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday I was thrilled to find out he wanted this one! One difference between the two of us is that I like dark chocolate frosting while he thinks white buttercream is sweet enough for his taste.

Chocolate Cherry Birthday Cake

Ingredients

- Box of chocolate cake mix (follow instructions on box, this particular box mix calls for eggs, water, oil)

- 3 eggs

- 1/3 cup vegetable oil

- 1 cup water

- 1 21oz can of cherry pie filling

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9 inch round pans

2. Mix together your chocolate cake mix, eggs, water and oil. *ingredients may vary depending on which box mix you use*

3. Add the entire can of cherry pie filling.

4. Mix this by hand and NOT with the blender. You want your cherry chunks to remain chunky.

5. Add mixture equally between the two cake pans.

6. Bake for the allotted time on the box mix (approximately 25-30 minutes).

Whipped Buttercream Icing

This icing is not super sweet. It has just enough sweet in my opinion to compliment the cake. If you make this and decide you want it sweeter, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.

Ingredients

- 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixer or you can use a hand mixer.

2. This is the important one: Mix the sh*t out of the icing! Put the mixer on high for about 30 seconds or more. You will know it is ready when it is whippy and light. It it still feels heavy and yellowish whip it longer.

Allow your cake to cool then using whatever icing skills you have, throw that icing on!

Blow out those candles and enjoy flavor!