Why Do I Feel Cheated?

"Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their Daddy or their dog just died"
Everybody Knows - The Duhks

Obviously I’m delighted to learn of the imminent departure of Karl Rove from the White House so that he can “spend more time with his family.” (Don't you just once want to hear one of those guys say they're retiring to spend more time with their mistress or so they can devote more energy to their hobbies of internet pornography and high stakes gambling?) However, it would’ve been so much more satisfying to hear that he had been indicted for one of his many unspeakable crimes against my country, or at least caught in flagrante delicto in a seedy DC hotel room with a teenage boy. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel so cheated.

The only thing that gets me through times like these is chocolate. So I'm going to share one of my never fail antidotes for political angst. This recipe comes from Kraft foods and contains all my favorite church lady ingredients, cake mix, Jello pudding, and Cool Whip. So easy, so good, so Democratic!

Killer Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 package Jello Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup water
1 (8 ounce) package semisweet baking chocolate
1 (8 ounce) tub Cool Whip
Sliced almonds for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Stir in 2 squares (2 ounces) of the chocolate, chopped. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 t0 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Place remaining 6 squares (6 ounces) of chocolate and Cool Whip in microwaveable bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir until blended and shiny. Cool. Place cake layer on serving plate, spread with 1/4 of the chocolate mixture. Place second layer on top. Spread remaining chocolate mixture over top and sides of cake. Garnish with almonds. So you know, I double the frosting recipe. It's unbelievably good so why skimp!

Note: If you want to lighten up the recipe, you can use fat free sour cream, fat free whipped topping, and even sugar free pudding mix. The chocolate, however, must be the real deal.