NO REGRETS. Chocolate Chip Marble Swirl Cake

My daughter turns 20 this year.

It's inconceivable to me that she is almost a grown woman.

I made this cake for her on her 10th birthday. I remember that day like it was yesterday.  She jumped up on the kitchen counter and watched me, as I carefully swirled the chocolate on top of the white frosting.

She begged me for "just a small piece" before her friends came over. 

As all mothers know, I would have given her a piece in a heartbeat.  But you know how it goes.  Can't very well have a birthday cake with a piece missing now can you?  Or can you?

Looking back I think to myself , "what would be the harm"?  Her 10 year old friends who were coming over for a slumber party wouldn't have cared.  They were more excited to show off their sticker books, and to paint their nails, and use their glitter paint.

Since that birthday party, 10 years ago, every single time I make this cake, I always remember that darling little girl, sitting on that kitchen counter wanting "just a little sliver, please please please". 

I still have a little pang of Regret not giving her just a little piece.  What fun that would have been - her and I sneaking a teensy tiny piece before the festivities.

So to all you mothers out there, with a 10 year old, or even a 10 month old -  I wish you no regrets in life over little things like this.

Sneak a piece of cake a time or two.  It will be a little special memory between mother and daughter.

1 Box White Cake Mix

1 1/4 c. water

1/3 c. oil

3 egg whites

1/2 c. mini chocolate chip morsels

1/4 c. chocolate flavored syrup

Extra chocolate flavored syrup for drizzling

1 tub Vanilla Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together cake mix, egg whites, water and oil. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

 Scoop out 1 cup of the batter and set aside.

Pour remaining batter into a 9 x 13 inch pan that has been sprayed with Pam.

Put the 1 cup batter back into the original batter bowl (always trying to save a dirty dish.  Less is good).

Stir in 1/4 cup chocolate syrup into the 1 cup reserved batter and stir stir stir it up. 

Voila!  Chocolate cake batter!

Now carefully take a heaping tablespoon of the chocolate batter, and dot the white batter with 6 mounds.

Two. Two and Two.  Kinda something like this.

With a butter knife, swirl "S" shapes right through that chocolate batter, into the white batter.

Swirl away.  One direction, then the other direction.

Don't blend it in so much that it's one big blurr.  Make sure it looks all swirly and stuff.

Bake for about 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Be sure to watch it.  Ovens really do vary.

Your cake should turn out all pretty and marbled like this.

Let the cake cool completely.

Frost cooled cake with the tub of white frosting.

With your creative flare, drizzle chocolate syrup in sweet little designs all over the top.

If you are using the chocolate syrup that is in the can (Hershey's) , just take a spoon, dip, and drizzle away.

If a little certain someone asks for just a teeny sliver before guests come over, remember No Regrets.

Just tell your guests that a mouse must have ate it.