Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup cold rice milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) whipped topping
In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Pour into a greased 13-inch x 9-inch x 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Beat in whipped topping. Spread over cake. Refrigerate leftovers.
Yield: 12-15 servings

This was Luke's 1st birthday cake. Delicious! Even Michael, who's not particularly fond of chocolate cake, liked it.

Chocolate Crinkles

2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar
Mix granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and chocolate in a large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat. Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched. Immediately remove from pan to wire rack.
Yield: 6 dozen

Chocolate Picnic Cake

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup sugar
¾ cup cold water
1/3 cup oil
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Melt chocolate; cool for 10 minutes. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar. Beat in the water and oil. Stir in melted chocolate and dry ingredients; mix until blended.
Pour into a greased 8 inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 32-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.