Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. Galatians 6:4

Friday, January 25, 2008

Oh I had good intentions of blogging all week.. but each day I found different things to do!! But each day I thought of what I would blog.. and by days end.. I was so tired.. Today I was going to blog first thing this morning.. until house work called... I zipped like nobodies business and then it STRUCK!!! Light a Ball of LIGHT.. a stupid MIGRAINE!!! When I get one of these.. the world stops... seriously stops!! No TV.. no light.. no noise.. and my biggest trigger.. smell!! My stomach gets so upset.. and my face goes numb.. it's such a joy!! I have a new medication to try and as much as I wanted to believe it.. it didn't work.. :(. So I had to crawl up into my bed.. yes CRAWL.. and wake hubby up to pick up our son... After 15 plus years of being with me.. he has got to be the sweetest man EVER!! He always tells me.. to lay down.. no TV.. no Reading.. no nothing.. Ok .. the man has never had a migraine... there is NO NEED to worry about TV and READING... but he is a love.. and just has to be loving.. So it's 10pm at night.. and I can finally handle the computer screen.. I have so much to blog... but... I don't think it will happen all tonight!! and PRAISE GOD for spell check!!

Sooooooooo I have to share what I baked.. I saw this in Martha Stewart Magazine... May 1997 issue.. Actually the same issue as the basement!!

It's called Moist Devil's Food Cake...
I have to tell you.. this batter ROCKED!! Boxed mixes will NOT stand up to this batter.. I could have eaten this uncooked.. ( yeah yeah.. egg thing.. I know..).. It was truly amazing.. but I went ahead and baked them up.
Then I made the frosting.. I'll be honest.. I struggled with this.. I thought I seriously failed on the frosting...So much so that I let it stand overnight.. When I woke up.. I was AMAZED.. my frosting worked..
So.. here is my final product!!

And a piece I sliced.. just so you could see...



My overall thought on this cake... well.. on a scale of 1-10.. 10 being highest.. I give it a 6. I am a sweet kind of girl.. the sweeter the frosting.. the better.. This cake was dense.. but moist.. and the frosting almost made it like a truffle... This cake was some work.. nothing bad that I couldn't handle.. but if you want to whip up something quick.. this is NOT the cake for you!!!

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND.. THIS IS HOMEMADE.. HOMEMADE SWEETS DO NOT LAST AS LONG AS STORE BOUGHT! My best advice.. store this in the fridge.. if you find room.. cause this was a BIG cake..

Moist Devil's Food Cake
Makes three 8-inch layers
Dutch process cocoa mixed with boiling water gives this cake a richer color and stronger chocolate flavor

3/4 cup Dutch-Process cocoa, plus more for dusting ( I like to use King Arthur.. but any store brand is fine)
1/2 cup boiling water
1-1/2 cups ( 3 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
4 large whole eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups sifted cake flour ( not self rising)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
Mr.s Milman's Chocolate Frosting
( recipe follows)

1. Heat oven to 350*. Arrange two racks in center of oven. Line bottoms of three 8-by-2 inch buttered cake pans with parchment. Dust bottoms and sides with cocoa; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk with boiling water. Let cool.
2. In electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low until light and fluffy, and gradually beat in the sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes; scrape down sides twice. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Gradually drizzle the eggs, beating between each addition until batter is no longer slick, scraping down sides twice.
4. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together the cocoa mixture with the milk. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding flour mixture and cocoa mixture, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with the flour. Divide evenly into the three pans. Bake 35-45 minutes, rotating the pans for even baking, if needed, until a cake tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, and return to rack to cool, tops up.
5. To assemble, remove papers from bottoms of cakes. Save the prettiest layer for the top. Place one layer on the serving platter; spread with 1-1/2 cups of the chocolate frosting, and repeat with second layer, top with third. Cover outside of cake with remaining 3 cups of frosting.

Mrs. Milman's Chocolate Frosting
Makes 6 cups
Spread icing as soon as it's sufficiently chilled; it keeps its shape well on the cake.

24 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
4 cups of whipping cream
1 tsp light corn syrup

Place chocolate and cream in a heave saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until combined and thickened, 20-25 minutes. Increase heat to medium low, and cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in corn syrup. Transfer to a large metal bowl; refrigerate. Check every 15-20 minutes; stir until cool enough to spread, about 2 hours. Spread on cooled moist Devil's Food cake.

*** I had trouble with the frosting.. I didn't stir constantly... just stirred very occasionally.. and did fine.. I put it in the fridge.. but it took overnight for this to thicken really well!!! I took it out the next morning.. and let it warm up for about 30 minutes and it frosted the cake beautifully!!
So be patient!!

Side note.. What I read this week..
LOVED IT!!
And what I'm reading NOW...
This book.. I have to tell you is HILARIOUS!!!!! I'm about 4 chapters in and I have chuckled my way through it.. This store "clerk" finds something in the store room that looks like a "mouse catcher" only to find out.. it's a "modern day" breast enhancer... SCANDALOUS for the 1800's I tell you!!! Three of the men's town folks want to order one to catch mice.. the store owner refuses.. hmm wonder why???? LOL LOL

12 comments:

Wendy said...

OKAY...can you see me licking my computer screen?!? Man...I miss me some sweets!! I actually used some of my "cheat points" tonight for a white hot chocolate from starbucks! YUMMERS!! I needed it:) Glad that your migraine is feeling better. I get a small headache and I am knocked out...I can't imagine what would happen to me with a migraine:(

Mere said...

I have had only 2 migranes in my life....and I felt EXACTLY like you do...terrible! That cake looks delicious!! love ya

jayedee said...

can you hear my thighs whispering about their diabolical plan for world domination? this cake will send them right over the edge! LOL
grocery store..........here i come!

cannot imagine what a migraine is like lovey, but i sure hope yours is gone and you're feeling better now!

love and hugs,
me

OneHappyfamily said...

That cake is looking yummy. I love to bake, but my cakes are never pretty. This might be something I can do. It looks so big though... That could be dangerous around here. I too get a little headache and I am down for the count. How do you know the difference between a headache and a migraine? Hope you have a great weekend. Love that song Caroline.

Miss French Jessica said...

That cake looks delish! I may even try it even though every dessert I've tried from Ms. Stewart has resulted in being a total flop. I hope I'm just as successful as you, though! *crossing fingers* It looks like it would make a great Valentine's Day dessert, no?

Oh, and I'm so sorry to hear of your migraines. I suspect my mom had them and they just knocked her right you. :( Hope you're feeling much better!

Tam said...

I love Chocolate! I think this looks so YUMMY! I will have to write this down!!!!

♥Lisa and The Pug Posse ♥ said...

any of that cake left? I must of miss your Phone call inviting me to come over and enjoy it with you.
Brad gets migraines too. he suffers from the same symptoms as you as well. his left side of his body goes numb with and every thing is blurry. it is a scary thing to have to go through.... I hope you find some relief soon!

the real ~Roxann~ said...

Hey T!

Sorry to hear about your migraine. They sure suck, don't they?!? I hate them so bad, but I will admit it's much better now that I am eating better most of the time!!!

And that cake, wow, that cake looks indulgent! I bet it was awesome!!!
You amaze me with all your home-made food! I never make a cake from scratch, although I did make pancakes for breakfast last weekend and my family about had a coronary! (yep, I am not know for my over the top baking/cooking skills!) :-o

Happywife84 said...

You did awesome on the cake!!

Glad you loved the book!

lol..the new book sounds funny!!!

Cris said...

Oh man that cake looks good! I think I will have to give it a try when Jordy's birthday rolls around in March. :P

Glad to know you are feeling better. I've never experienced a real migraine before either, but my MIL gets them and I know they can get pretty painful.

Anonymous said...

I agree, Courting trouble is hilarious!! I randomly bought it one day but i'm glad i did!!

robin said...

Could you mail me a piece of that cake??

I like Lori Wick's books, too.