Cheaters' Chocolate Amaretto Cake

This is such a simple cake, but is incredibly moist and has a rich, satisfying chocolate flavor. The ganache glaze is delectable. So what's the "cheater" part, you ask? Well, aside from breaking any low-cal diet you might have planned, the ingredients are far from scratch, yet still impart a great homemade flavor. Essentially, the cake is an edited version of the famous Bacardi rum cake recipe, staple of '60s housewives everywhere and one of my personal favorites. Do yourself a favor and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

We also shared a few sips from a bottle of Chyrsalis Vineyards Petite Manseng. The bottle recommended a "lighter" dessert paring, but whatever, they're not the boss of me. Mmm ... look at that glaze. I think I want to be buried in a tub of ganache.

Ingredients for Cake:

• 1 package devil's food cake mix
  
• 1 package vanilla instant pudding (3.4 oz)
• 1/2 c. Amaretto (I use a chocolate amaretto, but regular is fine)
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. water
• 4 large eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat bundt pan with cooking spray.
  
• Combine first five ingredients in mixer, add each egg one at a time. Mix until smooth.
  
• Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for about an hour. Cake is done if you can press it lightly with your finger and it springs back.
• Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. When pan is cool to the touch, run long knife around edges and invert cake on to plate. Cool for another 20 minutes, the spoon ganache over (recipe below)

Ingredients for ganache (adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor):

• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 tbs. amaretto
  

Directions:

• In saucepan, bring cream to boil over medium heat while stirring. Place chocolate chips in separate heat-proof mixing bowl.
  
• Pour boiling cream over chocolate chips, stir constantly until smooth.
  
• Add amaretto and continue stirring. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before spooning over cake.