St.Paddy's Emergency Dessert

Thursday at the last minute I invited Mom to eat with us.  I had a large corned beef cooked, 2 heads of cabbage and a 5 pound bag of potatoes so I had more than enough food to include her, but Mom also likes dessert with special meals and I had planned none plus I only  had about 35 minutes until she was coming. So, once again, it was punt time  Lucky for me I keep a couple of cake mixes on hand all the time, mainly because you never know when you will need to punt.

I had my choice of using either the basic yellow cake mix or a butter pecan mix ( I don't remember buying it and wonder if I intended to get 2 yellow cake mixes and picked it up by mistake)  Since butter pecan cake sounded neither tasty nor Irish I used the yellow mix.  I was only going to need dessert for 3 and did not want extra cake hanging around the house so I split the mix in half, added a couple of extra things to it and called it done.  I am telling you in advance this is one of the easiest things I have done, and it looked and tasted (I was told 'cause it is still Lent and all) much different than a cake mix cake.

Mint Chocolate Chip Loaf

1/2 yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl mix the cake mix with the water and the egg.  I didn't want to waste the time getting the mixer out so I beat it about 200 strokes with a wooden spoon until it was smooth and creamy. After it was well blended I added the mint extract and stirred it well. Add the flour to a small bowl and the pour the chocolate chips on top of it.  Stir the chocolate chips until the surface of every chocolate bit is coated lightly with the flour.  Stir into the batter just enough to distribute them through the cake.  Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Whew 5 minutes to spare and the cake had time to cool while we ate dinner.

Since it was an un-iced cake TheHub stopped by Publix on his way home and bought mint chocolate chip ice cream to go on top of it. (I would have frosted it but I had zero confectioners sugar and did not have enough time to make a cooked frosting.  He prefers something topping his cake, but honestly I think he just used it as an excuse to buy ice cream)

Those who ate it thought it was delicious. It is a pretty good "fool everyone" way to make something very simple turn into something special. I looked at it,  smelled it and wanted to eat it,  but ate another serving of cabbage instead.  The upside is I still have a half of the cake mix, leftover mini chips and mint extract.  I may have to try this after Easter!  Ok!  I will be making it the week after Easter and will consider sharing it, but I will only consider it !  No promises!