Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small size chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling
4 eggs
1 8z container sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 squares semi sweet baking chocolete, chopped
18 small candy canes, coarsely crushed, divided
1 8 oz tub whipped topping, thawed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease 2 9-inch round cake pans.  Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, oil and water in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened., stopping frequently to scrape side of bowl.  Beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended.  Stir in chopped chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the crushed candy canes.  Spoon evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cook 10 minutes.  Loosen cakes from sides of pans with metal spatula or knife.  Invert cakes onto wire racks; carefully remove pans.  Cool completely.

Place 1 of the cake layers on serving plate; spread evenly with 1 cup of the whipped topping.  Top with remaining cake layer.  Frost top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping.  Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.