Chocolate Celebration Cake Recipe--Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy birthday to me!  It was my birthday recently, and I got some really great stuff, like a book about making patterns from clothes you already have (and altering the patterns to create new designs), and another about machine quilting in sections.  Oooh, I can't wait!

And to make a great birthday even better, this was my birthday cake!  It was soooo good, all that chocolate and caramel...

Chocolate Celebration Cake--is it chocolate for a celebration, or a celebration of chocolate.  I'll let you decide.

Hey, no licking the screen.

Not only was it good, but it was also easy.  Here's the recipe:

1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix, and the ingredients to make it.

1 can dulce de leche, heated to a spreadable consistency (You could also use sweetened condensed milk, cooked down to a caramel consistency, or soft caramel candies, melted down.)

1 can of your favorite chocolate frosting

Assorted chocolate candies

Make the cake according to the package directions.  Bake it in two square/circle pans--we're making a layer cake.

Once the cake layers are completely cool, turn one layer out onto your hand, then place right-side-up on your cake stand (or green cutting board, if you're me).  You may need to cut the top flat so the second layer will have a stable foundation.  A bread knife works well for this.  (Now you get to nibble on the yummy cake you just cut off!  One of the joys of making your own birthday cake!)

The dulce de leche or other caramel goes on now.  Save some to drizzle on at the end.  Then top with the second cake layer.

Frost.

Pile the cake high with your chocolate!   If it's chocolate, or tastes good with chocolate, it can go on this cake!  I used Reese's peanut butter cups, Rolos, M&Ms, peanut butter chips, and mini marshmallows.  The M&Ms and marshmallows helped break up the large amounts of (delicious, but not very colorful) chocolate.  To add additional visual appeal, I cut my peanut butter cups in half, to show the centers.   

Drizzle the leftover caramel over all the chocolate goodness.

Now all that's left is to enjoy you're amazing deliciousness!  Yummm!

Mmmm, caramel.

I should have heated up the caramel a bit more so it would flow better.  Oh, well.  Tasted great anyways!  So much chocolate.  So much caramel.  So good.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the Taste of Home magazine.