Yesterday turned out to be absolutely wonderful. A long lost friend came and played with me We baked the featured chocolate vanilla marble cake and glazed it in a sour cream chocolate mint frosting. Jamie and Michael each returned from their designated work locations bearing gifts of yet more food! (Sorry Jamie, but Mike wins this time. I'm not sure you can beat sashimi grade salmon and tuna. ) We made mashed potatoes with fresh rosemary, thyme, borrowed butter, garlic, and onions. The zucchini was sauteed with olive oil. The salmon was seasoned with an espresso sugar rub, and baked until tender, while the tuna was sauteed in a cast iron skillet with a mystery-blend of spices. How delicious. We enjoyed a doodle party after dinner, and then headed out to the fire pit to enjoy the cake. I ate four slices. And still wanted more. I'm quite positive that this is possibly the most incredible cake ever made. I've never eaten a bite of cake and automatically laughed (simultaneously with others) in shock at how moist and delicious it was. We certainly didn't set out to make the most fabulous confection, but we somehow managed to do it.
In other news, my "fake" garden is growing well. That's the one near the shed where the groundhogs live. I hope when summer comes full swing they'll be too hot and lazy to hobble over to the "real" garden and take my "real" vegetables. My poppies and morning glories have also begun sprouting. The front porch will be encased in red this season, as I planted Scarlet O'hara morning glories.
Enjoy this cloud-free, blue-skied morning. It's not too late to start a garden, you know...
Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake with Sour Cream Chocolate Mint Frosting
cake
2 cups and 2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup organic milk
4 ounces Fondue au Chocolate Noir, 70% Cacao melted (I will say, I did not buy this. When Bun Penny closed, we reduced it from $26.99 to $1. So I took as many as I could find. I think its outrageous initial cost and the fact that it's French made our cake as amazing as it was, but please don't be tempted to spend that much money on a pot of chocolate...)
oven at 350 degress F
grease and flour one 12" pan
whisk dry ingredients together
beat butter, sugar until light and fluffy
add eggs one at a time
add vanilla
add flour mixture and milk in alternating rounds (it helps to have a friend)
divide batter in two bowls, one will be chocolate the other vanilla
once chocolate-y enough, alternate spoonfuls of each mixture into pan
gently swirl with a knife to marbleize
bake about 30 minutes , or until toothpick comes out clean
frosting
10 ounces of the same expensive chocolate, melted
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
a splash of soy milk
as much powdered sugar as you'd like...I used the whole bag
one handful of freshly minced mint
after cake has cooled, and icing has cooled in the fridge, apply liberally and garnish with mint sprigs
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