This may be one of my favorite weeks of the year ~ Holy Week.  We had a wonderful time celebrating Christ in the Passover with our church family on Wednesday night, participated in the profound and somber walking of the large wooden cross through town this afternoon, and will head to church again tonight for the Good Friday worship service. Sunday will have us back at church rejoicing in the Resurrection. It’s a whole week of focusing on the work of the Cross that Jesus accomplished on our behalf, reflecting on my sin that required it, and celebrating victory over death and the freedom found therein.  I’ll never fully be able to comprehend how Jesus “set His face like flint” to go to Jerusalem and perfectly submitted to the Father’s plan for my redemption, but each time we celebrate Holy Week, He deepens my understanding, awakens my awe, and grows gratitude for grace in my heart.

Seems weird to post about cake today, but this recipe definitely shouts celebration with it’s chocolate upon chocolate!  It could even be called Quadruple Chocolate Cake, because of its chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside, chocolate icing, and mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top.  I think I’ve made this cake three times in the last two weeks, and it has been devoured each time.  Maybe it’s just in time for your Resurrection Sunday meal planning!

Happy Easter!

2 cups GF flour mix (rice, tapioca, potato ~ a bean flour will work as part of this, too)
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk (or milk soured with 2 tsp vinegar)
1 cup chocolate chips

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 Tbsp butter, melted
6 – 8 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
mini chocolate chips for sprinkling on top

For cake batter, sift or stir together all dry ingredients (first 7 ingredients). Combine butter, oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk in separate bowl.  Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir or beat until thoroughly combined.  Add chocolate chips to batter and stir again.  Pour into a well-greased bundt pan and bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes.  Let cool 10-15 minutes before transferring to serving platter.

For icing, sift or stir together powdered sugar and cocoa.  Place 6 Tbsp milk and 2 Tbsp butter in a bowl together and either “defrost” in microwave together so that they don’t overheat, but are warm and melted together, or heat gently on the stove top.  Add milk/butter mixture to cocoa and sugar mixture.  Add vanilla, and whisk together until smooth.  Add more milk or more sugar as needed to get a consistency that will drizzle, but also stick to the cake well.  After cake and icing are mostly cooled, drizzle icing on top, and sprinkle mini chips on freshly drizzled icing.

Don’t forget the perfect accompaniment of vanilla ice cream ~ yum!