Margaret Harlan-Chair of Baton Rouge is the winner of our Groundhog Day contest! Congrats to Margaret, and thanks to all who entered – and a special thanks to those who shared pictures of their projects with us!

As promised, here is a favorite, easy to make chocolate cake recipe that’s been a staple in my family since I was a little girl. It was most likely the first cake I ever made! It’s a rich dark cake that takes no eggs. Growing up, it was everyone’s favorite cake – especially with peanut butter frosting!

Carolyn’s Chocolate Cake

3 Cups flour

6 Tablespoons cocoa

2 Cups Sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons vineagar

2/3 Cup vegetable oil

2 Cups water

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth – about 2 minutes. Fill cupcake tins (lined with paper cups) approx. 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean.  Cool, then frost with favorite frosting, or dust with confectioners sugar.

Can also bake in 13 x 9″ pan or two 9″ round pans.

Now, onto making our Groundhog Cupcakes!

All you need are some vanilla wafers, a few chocolate chips, and some sliced almonds!

First, melt a few chocolate chips in the microwave for a few seconds until they are the consistency of glue. Using a toothpick, smear a little melted chocolate on the back of two almond slices and “glue” onto the back of each vanilla wafer as shown.

Then, draw the groundhog faces on the front of the wafers using the melted chocolate and the toothpick. Stick the wafers into the tops of the cupcakes – and there you have it! Great fun for the kiddies to make!