Some Times...

...you just can't win.

So, I'm cooking for Butch's poker group. I started early---as I always do. Butch was off to the golf course, so I was able to crank up my music and work. The first thing I did was the cake. It was a new recipe and sounded good---a Mounds Cake. Personally, I like Almond Joys better, so decided to turn it in to an Almond Joy Cake.

The first thing you do is to bake a regular devil's food cake according to the package instructions. Easy until it did this:

It was beautiful coming out of the oven. Somehow, it deflated with a big "sinkhole" in the middle. Okay, that's not new to me. I think that happens just about all the time. There's an easy fix for it. Just fill it up with frosting and no one knows the difference. Not to be deterred, I proceeded with the first of a two step frosting.'

Step 1: melt a concoction of sugar, marshmallows and milk. Little did I know that this is not the type of mixture that comes to a boil you can see. Apparently the marshmallows just rise up and over before you know it. Okay, I turned my back on it for a couple of seconds---I swear, just a couple!

It did this! OMGosh! Where did all this come from? It not only melted over, it multiplied by--like--5 times! What a huge gloppy mess. So, while I was cleaning this mess up, I obviously wasn't paying attention to what the Step 2 frosting was doing on the other side of the stove---until I heard it!!

I was standing right there!! For crying out loud. I hadn't even finished with the first mess before I had to deal with this one. And this one was really bad! The first one was a smeary mess that just took a while to sop up and clean. This overflow was immediately burnt on.

I've had this ceramic cooktop for 21 years now and have always kept it in pristine, like new condition. I have a little help with a cooktop cleaner made for this type of surface. But there are some burnt on messes that require drastic measures--a razor blade. It was one of those times. The burn was so bad that when I used the razor on it, the charred mess sort of exploded all over. I had burnt crumbs everywhere! Sheesh. I spent more time cleaning up the messes than I did actually making the darn cake!

Luckily, it was delicious. So, I'm sharing the recipe. Just so you know, you've been warned!

Mounds Cake (or Almond Joy*)
1 Devil's Food cake mix
2 cups sugar (divided)
24 large marshmallows
1 1/2 cups milk (divided)
14 oz. pkg. coconut
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

Mix and bake cake according to package directions. Combine 1 cup of sugar, marshmallows and 1 cup of milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Stir in coconut and spread on top of warm cake.

Mix butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in chocolate chips and spread over coconut mixture. Serve at room temperature or refrigerated (as desired).

*Almond Joy Cake
Follow all instructions as listed above. Add 1/2 cup slivered almonds to the chocolate mixture.

This cake is very rich. I sent most all of it home with the guys. Good luck with it!