The Most Decadent Chocolate Cake you will ever have.

This recipe is from the mother (Hi Mrs. Benson!) of an ex-boyfriend of mine, that I later found out was derived from a recipe from a 1975 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. I had the cake over 10+ years ago and never forgot about it. It's the best chocolate cake I've ever had. And I see the reason why it might be: It uses half of the frosting mixture, for the batter. OH...MY...GAWD.

So in other words: Do not even mouth the words "I'll just have a little piece." or make some comment about breaking your diet. This is for pure life enjoyment without feeling guilty!

Here is the recipe and a couple of things you'll need to do a few hours ahead or the previous day: Get your cream cheese, butter, eggs, and 1/3 cup milk at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup milk, room temperature
4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk

Grease and flour two 9-by-1 1/2-inch metal cake pans, or one 9"x13" metal pan; set aside. If using glass pans, reduce your heat by 25 degrees.

Cream together cream cheese and the 1/2 cup butter and vanilla. Beat in the powdered sugar alternately with the 1/3 cup of milk. Blend in the chocolate.

Remove 2 cups of chocolate icing mixture to use for later; cover and refrigerate.

Cream together the remaining chocolate icing mixture and the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add eggs; beat well.

Combine the dry ingredients and beat into chocolate mixture alternately with the remaining milk.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until tested done. Bake for about 40-45 minutes if using the larger 9"x13" pan. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove and cool on racks. Remove frosting from refrigerator 15 minutes before frosting cake.