Mr. Food Test Kitchen: February 13, 2013

With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow, we've heard that many of you are hoping to spend the day with someone tall, dark and handsome. Well, we may not be able to help you find that "someone," but we can help you find that "something" that fits the bill. And it's an easy-as-can-be cake that goes like this. And the best part: It starts with a box cake mix, which not only cuts down our prep time; it cuts down on the number of ingredients we need.  Ok, we make our batter according to the package directions, except we replace the water with strong black coffee (just make sure that's at room temperature). You see, the coffee sorta cuts the sweetness, while intensifying the cake's chocolaty richness.  We'll bake it off in a couple of greased pans, like normal, and once they cool, we'll cut 'em in half horizontally.  And then we'll frost each layer with some chocolate fudge icing. We used store-bought (but if you'd rather, of course, you can use homemade frosting).  And on each layer we drizzle it with some caramel ice cream topping. I bet your mouth is starting to water now. And we'll repeat that layer after layer. And to take this over the top, garnish it with some Valentine's Day candies or a few chocolate-covered caramels that we cut up. And when you serve this good-looking, dressed-up, mile-high cake to your Valentine, their eyes will light up. So what are you waiting for? The recipe for "Tall, Dark & Handsome Chocolate Cake" is online now so you can impress your sweetie with something truly homemade. And if they ask you where you got the recipe, tell 'em cupid gave it to you. And as for the secret ingredient, tell 'em it's the TLC that gives it all of the, as we say around here ... all of the "OOH IT'S SO GOOD!!