A birthday cake created for Patrick

Tonya's Chocolate Caramel Coffee Rum Cake aka "Patrick's Birthday Cake"

1 deep chocolate duncan hines mix
4 tablespoons of cocoa
1 package of chocolate instant pudding mix
3/4 cup liquid oil
1/2 cup of water
5 extra large eggs
1 tub of sour cream (1 cup)
1 teaspoon real vanilla

mix with beaters for about 2 minutes on medium - do not pour into pans just yet

heat up a couple of tablespoons of water and add:
2 tablespoons of instant coffee (Nescafe - french vanilla works well!)
1 table spoon of dark rum (or a large cap full of rum)
2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons of white sugar

Fold the dissolved coffee and sugar and rum mixture into the cake batter.

Grate 7 dairy milk bars - save about 1 1/2 bar's shavings for the decorations on top of the cake - set aside in refridgerator.  Stir the equivalent of about 1 grated chocolate bar into the cake batter.  There should be some larger broken pieces of chocolate - all the leftover bits, about 4 1/2 bars worth. Throw all these messy pieces into a pot - these will be made into icing later.

bake in two 9 1/2" rounds (greased with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper) for about 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.  Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for about 8-10 minutes. Turn out onto racks and remove paper liners. You can throw them into the freezer now to cool quicker if needed.  Once cooled, slice crowns off cakes to level.

Icing:
4 to 5 dairy milk bars (in small pieces)
1 heaping tablespoon of coffee (again french vanilla is nice)
2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp icing sugar

Melt all icing ingredients in a pan on top of the stove - just until all are blended together and chocolate is completely melted. Don't boil!

Leave to cool for a few minutes.

Use both the icing and dulce de leche (president's choice caramel) in between the cake layers. Slowly pour about 1/4 of the icing mixture on top of the cake - refridgerate a few minutes - then pour more mixture on continue until the icing is all on and between the layers. Swirl a little more caramel over the top of the cake and add about 1 chocolate dairy milk bar shavings over the edges (sides of the cake). Refridgerate.

It's now ready to eat!  Throw some birthday candles on top and give it to the person you love the most!

Tell them to ENJOY!