There are many ways to achieve a moist, intensely chocolate Bundt cake. This recipe uses a cake mix as the basis, so it can be prepared quickly and easily.
Ingredients
1 box Devil’s Food cake mix (preferably the kind with the pudding in the mix)
1 4-serving box of instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup chocolate flavored yogurt (plain is fine as a substitute)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly dust the Bundt pan with flour.
In a large bowl, combine ingredients in the following order: cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, yogurt, oil, water and vanilla.
Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients together for two minutes at medium speed.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 70 minutes or until it springs back after being touched lightly in the center.
For an even more chocolate-y experience, drizzle with a chocolate glaze. There are plenty of recipes for this kind of glaze online. This one works fairly well.
Bitter Sweet Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
The Bundt cake should already be cooled and sitting on the serving platter before glazing.
In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, cream, and light corn syrup. Stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is satiny smooth.
Add vanilla.
Remove from heat and immediately drizzle the glaze over the top of the Bundt cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides.
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[three_fourth_last] Looking for a few more Bundt cake recipes to try? Don’t have a lot of time, but want a tasty Bundt cake? Bonkers for Bundt Cakes just may be the cookbook for you. Filled with “made from cake mix” recipes, as well as a couple from scratch, this simple cookbook is sure to please. Learn more and grab your copy at www.carmascookery.com/bundtcakes.
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One of the reasons we crave chocolate is that when we eat it, serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for better sleep and moods, floods our brain. This helps reduce anxiety and increases our sense of well-being. But if you suspect your chocolate intake is a little too excessive, this same relaxing and rejuvenating brain bath can also be accomplished by drinking juices and smoothies.
By consuming smoothies and juices you will provide your body with an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes while at the same time satisfying your taste buds so, maybe then, you won’t need so much chocolate.
Juices and smoothies made with fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables are so satisfying and can be made in unlimited combinations. There is a smoothie or juice to please every member of the family. There is so much to learn and discover about this new way of life. Just get yourself a high-speed blender and a juicer and you’ll be ready to begin.
Juicing Is Easy
You don’t have to buy the most expensive juicer to make delicious and nutritious juices. Even the most basic model will work. And the clean-up is simple and fast. A lot easier than cleaning up after cooking! Here is one simple and spectacular juice that I love.
Mother Nature’S Orange Julius
Peel only the orange rind from navel oranges. Leave the pith (the white stuff around the orange) as it will make the juice delicious and frothy. Place the oranges in your juicer and within seconds you will have a glass of the most refreshing orange juice ever.
This next juice combination I learned from watching, “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” with Joe Cross. His website is a treasure trove of information about juicing and its benefits and contains hundreds of delicious recipes.
World Famous Green Juice
One bunch of Kale
One large stalk of celery (4-6 ribs)
One large cucumber (it’s okay to leave it unpeeled)
3-4 apples cut into quarters
One lemon peeled but with the pith left on
One chunk of fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb)
Juice together and drink. It is somewhat of an acquired taste so try it a few more times until you can feel the energy of the veggies zipping through your body and brain.
A high-speed blender is another fantastic kitchen appliance and a wise investment in your family’s health. Blending together different combinations of fruits and vegetables is a never-ending adventure. For my family, when it’s really hot outside, sometimes a smoothie is all the meal we need. You know the exact ingredients that will please your family so keep experimenting and have fun. Here are two of my favorite smoothies:
Sunshine Smoothie
Frozen bananas broken into small chunks
Frozen or fresh pineapple pieces
Frozen or fresh mango chunks
Add orange juice, coconut water or plain water until you get a creamy consistency.
Blend for about 30 seconds on high and enjoy!
Purple Pineapple Smoothie
One cup frozen pineapple chunks
One cup frozen blueberries
Cover with apple juice
Blend on high speed for 30 seconds.
(If you like it a little sweeter you can add a tablespoon or two of agave and blend quickly again.) Yum!
And Now… Chocolate!
Chocolate is one of the most famous foods on the planet. All around the world it is loved and coveted by millions of people. Having a craving for chocolate is practically universal. So let’s make a Chocolate Banana Smoothie!
Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Place in your high-speed blender:
Two frozen bananas broken into pieces
One teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder
Four pitted dates or 2 T. maple syrup or 2 T. agave
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
Cover all ingredients with your favorite milk and blend until smooth.
Voila, a fabulous, satisfying, chocolate creation that your body will love. Whip it up and relax and read while drinking your smoothie. You deserve it! And in my opinion, life doesn’t get much better than this.
About the Author
Katrina is on the content team at www.householdappliancejudge.com. She can be found around the web writing about health, nutrition, relationships, family and other lifestyle concerns. Katrina enjoys cooking, comedy and spending time with her adorable (but exhausting) young family.
Let’s face it – everyone has a sweet tooth. And, everyone wants to satisfy their sweet tooth because it feels so good! The problem that most people face is that they have a conscience, and that conscience makes them feel guilt when they indulge.
Are you one of these people? If you are, the thought of eating desserts will make your mouth water, yet will also give you a bad feeling inside. After all, you can’t eat whatever you want without dealing with the consequences. Thankfully, though, you can eat more desserts without harming your conscience or your body. The trick is to make healthy options that taste just as good. And, luckily, there are a few tips below that might come in handy. Go on, treat yourself!
Healthy Dessert Option #1: Chocolate Pie
Chocolate pie? Healthy? You might think I’ve gone off my rocker with this one, but don’t judge a book by its cover. For one thing, chocolate isn’t always bad. In fact, it can be a nutritious source of energy that the body uses to function properly. If you don’t believe that, just ask the sports stars that eat a bar of it every morning before they go to work. As long as the cocoa content is over 70%, it won’t do any harm. What’s even better is that you can swap the usual ingredients for this pie for healthy alternatives. Do you need milk? Try low-fat or soy milk instead because you can’t taste the difference once it goes into the blender. What about oil? Coconut or granola oil is fine, as is extra virgin. (See my recipe here.)
Usually, ice cream is full of dairy and additives which make it unsuitable if you’re watching your weight. This healthy option is anything but traditional, though. Again, it doesn’t use rich and fatty dairy products that are bad for the body. Instead, it uses low-fat or even fat-free alternatives. Then, there are bananas. In general, bananas are pretty healthy anyway, so there is no need to worry about an additional calorie count. If you’re looking to get uber-healthy, you can swap ripe ones for banana chips. Plus, the chips have a crunch which adds an extra element to the dish. Finally, put the mixture in the freezer to firm. As far as ingredients go, there is nothing to this dish, but it’s incredibly tasty. (Try my easy recipe here!)
Healthy Dessert Option #3: Rice Pudding
As the name suggests, this is a pudding that incorporates rice. Because the rice soaks up the ingredients, the result is a creamy masterpiece that no one will be able to resist. To make it healthy, all you have to do is substitute normal white rice for brown rice. The brown option is much healthier because it still has the bran and the germ, whereas as the white version doesn’t. What about the dairy products? Yep, you guessed it – go for almond milk! To make it extra delicious, don’t forget to add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a small cup of sugar (or Splenda). All of these are tasty, but they hardly add to the calorie content. When you have all of the ingredients at hand, put them into a saucepan and simmer for thirty minutes. After half an hour, it’s ready to serve. Magnifico!
Public Domain image via Pexels.com
Healthy Dessert Option #4: Fruits of the Forest and Yogurt
As a general rule, food is pretty healthy if it grows from the ground. Okay, so almost every food group on the planet needs cultivating. But, if it isn’t in its natural form, there are bound to be additives and unhealthy elements. Fruits of the forest don’t have any nasty surprises because what you see is what you get. (Although some fruits are better for you if they are organic.) All it includes is a blend of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and any other berry you choose! Sprinkle them with a pinch of sugar (or Splenda or Equal or Stevia) and a small spoonful of honey, and you’ve got one healthy and delicious dish. If sugar and honey aren’t your things, use low-fat yogurt instead. Yogurts come in a variety of flavors, so there is no need for blandness. A tip: try the caramel flavor because it goes perfectly with the fruit.
Pumpkin pie is an American dessert that hasn’t caught fire anywhere else in the world. But, it should because it can be very healthy. A pumpkin is a fruit that is ridiculously good for you because it comes from the squash family. In simple terms, it’s almost a superfood like spinach or white fish. Plus, the main pumpkin pie recipes all use evaporated milk which is light and low in fat. The crust can undo all of your good work, but oats, coconut, flour, and water will come to your aid.
It might not be Halloween, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get in the mood!
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Take Charge of Your Health!
Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.
This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Beat in sugar and coconut powder. Gradually add milk, beating until smooth.
Fold in coconut and whipped topping. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon into crust and freeze until firm — at least four hours.
Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in the freezer.
Coconut Ingredients Available on Amazon.com
Create Your Own Unique Pie!
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Pie-Palooza 2017 is brought to you by Your Perfect Pie, a cookbook that breaks down pies into easily made component parts so you can unleash your pie-making creativity. Available on Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Grab your copy today and start creating your perfect pie!
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Katrina is on the content team at 
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This recipe is inspired by one of my favorites from 
Does pie making daunt you? Are you wary of deviating from any pie-recipe you find, for fear that you’ll ruin the flavor of the resulting pie?