Cherry Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This simple and delicious cake recipe comes via my niece and our recipe group. My nieces' daughter made this cake for her mom's birthday this year and she thought it was good enough to share with the others in our group, and I would agree. The recipe starts off with a cake mix and three additional ingredients and ends with one of the easiest fudge icings I've ever made. This recipe is a keeper for those times when you want a cake, but don't have the time to bake from scratch. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 box Fudge Cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
2 eggs, beaten to blend

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir by hand until well mixed.
2. Pour into greased 9 x 13-inch or 15 x 10-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (I used a 9 x 13 pan and baked it for 30 minutes).
3. Cool on a wire rack

Icing:
1 cup sugar
5 tbsps, butter
1/3 cup milk (I used 1%)
1 6-ounce pkg. semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk, bring to a full rolling boil and boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips stirring until smooth. Pour over cake.

Yield: 12 servings
345 calories each serving
2 gms. fiber
Note: Last evening, 9/21/2014, I was going through Pillsbury's "Best of the Bake-Off" cookbook and I came across the original recipe for this cake. This recipe was created by Frances Jerzak and was the
Grand Prize Winner in 1974 for the 25th. Bake-Off Contest. Frances Jerzak's recipe was called "Chocolate Cherry Bars" and was submitted as a cookie recipe. Whatever you want to call the recipe, Frances Jerzak created a wonderful chocolate dessert.