Tis the Season to eat Chocolate! - Easy Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate cake has a special place in my heart! Growing up, each birthday I would ask for a chocolate cake with white icing and I would get to decorate it with sprinkles and 'My Little Pony' ponies all over it. I had that same cake for about 4 years. My mom had these bags of sprinkles that were saved for special occasions and I loved to create a rainbow on my cake by using the different colors. For my forth birthday I had a crush on an older man (he was in college at the time!) and when asked who I wanted to come for my birthday I just responded with "Kevin". So he came, and I have a funny picture of he and I sitting on a bench together behind my Rainbow Bright sprinkled My Little Pony cake. Chocolate cake is a staple for special occasions in my book. I prefer very dense and oober(is that a word?) rich chocolate cakes, the kind that make you say, "Oh, this is so rich I can't eat it all", and then you proceed to gobble it all down. In the last six years I have tested and tasted many chocolate cakes. I have had some bad ones and some really good ones. This recipe is one of the first I found that is my staple go to when I am in a pinch. If I have someone call in an order for something within 24 hours I usually talk them into chocolate cake because I always have these ingredients on hand. I am a scratch baker for my business so using a mix is not what I do, but when in a pinch...who cares! This is a delicious chocolate cake that is wonderful with just powdered sugar sprinkled on top (but really, would I stop there?) or stacked between thick slabs of buttercream and gooey chocolate. Tis' the season of love so get in the kitchen and make this for someone special in your life!

1 chocolate cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge)
1 box instant chocolate pudding (not sugar free, not stove top...INSTANT)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water (you could also substitute in coffee here for a richer taste)
4 eggs - at room temp
1 cup sour cream - at room temp
1 cup chocolate chips (optional, I don't do this but it would be great for a bundt pan)

In the bowl of a stand up mixer, combine the cake mix, pudding and sugar until well combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time scraping in between to make sure there are not dry pieces left behind in the bottom of your bowl. Slowly pour in the oil and water then add the sour cream. Scrape the bowl to make sure that it is all mixed in and let it beat on medium for about 30 seconds. If you are using chocolate chips, toss them in 1 Tbsp of flour before mixing into the batter. This will allow them to float among the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.
Pour into a greased pan, either a bundt, 3-8' rounds, 2-9' rounds or 3-6' rounds (can you tell I am a baker?) You can also use this for cupcakes but keep a super close eye on them. Baking time will vary, but bake at 350 for around 20-25 minutes for regular round pans and around 45 for a bundt. Stick a toothpick in the center and when it comes out clean you are ready to move it from the oven.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or smother with buttercream.

Enjoy Y'all!