kitchen, cooking, cleaning tips: Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting

My daughter turned six recently and I must say, it's harder than I thought it would be. I can't believe she's not my baby anymore. I am very proud of what a kind, funny, silly and empathetic person she is. I truly am the luckiest mom in the world. She didn't want a store bought cake for her birthday, she wanted to make it and decorate it by herself (I only helped when necessary). She chose a chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting. We found a great recipe in my trusted Betty Crocker cookbook for the cake. My daughter had every intention of making the frosting too but she saw a can of frosting in the cupboard and decided she wanted that instead (much easier for me). She was having a birthday party with both boys and girls so when picking out the decorations, she chose a barbie for the girls and race cars for the boys - she didn't want anyone feeling left out. Don't I have a great kid? Anyway, she decorated it all by herself except for letting her brother do a couple of sprinkles. It turned out really beautiful and tasty. The cake itself almost had a corn meal texture (in a good way) and was moist and full of flavor. My daughter was extremely proud of herself and of her cake.

Silver White Cake by Betty Crocker:

2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 2/3 cups of sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups of milk
2/3 cup of shortening
1 tsp vanilla
5 egg whites
1/2 cup of miniature chocolate chips
Chocolate frosting (homemade or from a can)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Beat all ingredients except egg whites in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold chocolate chips into the batter. Pour into pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.