A Christmas Manger Cake

Christmas. The time of year when it is perfectly acceptable to have baked goods in your home every single night. It is the perfect time to snuggle in at the end of the day and enjoy a piece of delicious cake and a cup of tea while watching the tree lights twinkle. This recipe is for a simple, yet blissfully yummy cake you can enjoy alone or share with some special friends who drop in for a visit. I posted this a few years ago, but I think it deserves an encore. : )

Manger Cake

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2. 1/4 cup butter
3. 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
4. 2 cups flour
5. 1 1/2 cups sugar
6. 1 1/4 tsp. salt
7. 1 tsp. soda
8. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
9. 1/2 cup shortening
10. 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
11. 2 eggs
12. 1/2 cup chopped very fine walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Generously grease 9x13 inch pan.
3. Melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Set aside.
4. Melt butter, then stir in graham cracker crumbs. Let cool.
5. In a larger bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, soda, vanilla, shortening, buttermilk, eggs, and melted chocolate.
6. Blend at low speed until moistened.
7. Beat 3 minutes on medium.
8. Pour into prepared pan.
9. Add walnuts and remaining chocolate chips to cooled crumb mixture.
10. Sprinkle over batter.
11. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
12. Cool, and serve with whipped cream.

                Oh. And we omit the nuts. Because. Kids. : )