question on combining igredients for cake in time for Easter

[julia hahn]

Hello, my name is Julia and my mother just sent me a recipe that she got from a sweet 93 year old cousin in Texas. My problem is that I need more specific instructions on what order to combine the various ingredients. I am a baking enthusiest and have even cooked professionally at one time, so I do know that certain chemical reactions occur depending on the various orders, types, and timing of combos used. But for the life of me, I can't quite figure out the proper method of combining that would produce the best result. Unfortunately, it isn't feasible for me to talk with the cook herself, as I am sure although she gave the recipe in a general way - she would have her own way to make the cake extra good. So I am doing the next best thing and asking an expert. Here are the ingredients in the exact order she said and the same directions. (now, keep in mind that by this time, it's 3rd person knowledge, so there is no telling what interpretations have been made.) ALSO, any ideas for a frosting, preferably white, so that I will have a "clean" palate to decorate with Easter type things.

3/4 cup oil
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box vanilla pudding (I assume this means instant)
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)
grease and flour bundt pan. Beat first 5 ingredients for 2 minutes. Divide batter in half. Mix together chocolate chips and chocolate syrup. After putting 1/2 batter mixture in pan, pour choclate mixture on top - swirl to create marbling effect - add remainder of batter. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

[Mezzaluna]

Others are better at baking than I am, but I'd guess you combine the dry ingredients separately from the wet, then add the dry to the wet. The chocolate syrup looks like it might be a swirl-in for a marble effect.

Just one idea....

[Suzanne]

Sounds pretty straightforward to me. Certainly not rocket science, if you have to use mixes. Just dump the dry stuff, oil, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat it for the time specified (I presume on medium speed), scraping down the sides of the bowl; it will all come out smooth and batter-y. Pour half into the prepared pan, pour over the syrup and chips, run a knife through it to marble, pour on the rest of the batter, and bake for the time given. Temperature? That I do not know, but have you checked for similar recipes? This is not exactly a new invention, after all; there must be a lot of versions floating around.

The big thing to worry about is preparing the pan -- if you are using a really fancy Bundt pan, you might want to use a baking spray that contains fat and flour, rather than greasing and flouring separately; stuff tends to collect in the crevices. But if you will be decorating it, maybe you just want to use a plain tube pan, to have a smoother "canvas"?

As for the frosting: you can't go wrong with an old-fashioned 7-minute (cooked) frosting. It is so worth the time and effort, especially when you're working with a cake like that.