Chock-it Dump Truck Cake

For Owen's 2nd Birthday all he wanted was a "Chock-it Dump Truck Cake."  I kid you not.  We started talking about his birthday about a week before and he totally remembered the Wilton Dump Truck pan we bought at Hobby Lobby before we moved to Virginia.

 

So the day before his little birthday party, we made a cake together :)  He insisted on wearing an apron because Mommy was wearing one. I found the manliest one in my arsenal - and of course he needed the "Merry Christmas" chef hat! 

 

And what cake-making experience is complete without licking the mixer paddle?

 

And the rubber spatula??

 

Tada!  Chock-it Dump Truck Cake complete with cream cheese frosting and M-Ms (as Owen calls them).  I generally don't like chocolate cake - but both of my boys do.  I used an old standby recipe that my mom makes for my family when chocolate cake is requested - she doesn't like chocolate cake either :)  I don't know what it is, but I just don't like chocolate cake...or chocolate ice cream.  Anyfood, this recipe I actually like because it is nice and moist and has chocolate chips in it!

Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

1 package Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 (4 oz) package Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 small package semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 2 cups)

4 eggs

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 (8 oz) carton of sour cream

3/4 cup water

Instructions:

Blend together all ingredients except chocolate chips with a mixer.  Blend for 1 minute on low then 4 minutes on medium.  Add chocolate chips.  Pour into a well greased 12 cup Bundt Pan (or a well greased Dump Truck Cake pan)*.

Bake at 325* for 1 hour.  Dust with powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.  (But really, why would you bother with powdered sugar when you can use cream cheese frosting?)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 box powdered sugar (3 and 3/4 cup - and as a side note, I used the Target brand of powdered sugar and it ended up v. v. granulated and not appetizing in my opinion...)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese - softened
1/2 to 1 stick of butter (I use the whole thing - and make sure it is salted butter)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Blend together in the mixer and enjoy!  I freeze my extra and enjoy it on graham crackers when no one is looking!

* Some chocolate chips will sink to the bottom of the pan during cooking.  When you invert the pan and attempt to remove the cake, it may give some resistance as the chocolate chips like to stick to the pan!

Owen enjoying a tire of the dump truck cake while I breath through some contractions/the baby actually flipping around so that he or she is now head down - that was not a fun experience!