Double-Chocolate Layer Cake

I've got birthday cake on the brain. And while I shan't show you the poor cut up little monkey from Owen's recent birthday (the photo above is from my birthday last fall), I thought I'd share my go-to recipe when it comes to birthday cakes.

I've tweaked and sampled, and this is the recipe I've come up with. It's as nourishing as I know how to make it, and utterly delicious. We are a chocolate-loving family, and this cake is always a hit!


Double-Chocolate Layer Cake

1 3/4 c. sprouted wheat flour, plus more for dusting
2 c. Sucanat
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. gently melted coconut oil
2 large eggs (preferably pastured)
1 t. vanilla
1 c. freshly brewed hot coffee**

Preheat the oven to 350*. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper; butter paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out excess.

Using an electric mixer, combine flour, sucanat, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk with oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly beat into dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in hot coffee until fully mixed in.

Pour batter into prepared pans. (It will be quite thin - don't worry, it's supposed to be that way.)

Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake!

For the frosting, I almost always use Basic Chocolate Frosting - Coconut Cream from Wardeh at GNOWFGLINS. I double the recipe in order to have enough frosting for this particular cake. It spreads great and tastes delicious.

Enjoy!

**I recently tried using Teeccino in place of the coffee, and it was very well-received.

it's my birthday and I'll blog if I want to

Yep, it's true. Here I sit on the ____th anniversary of my birth. When my parents mentioned how many years I'd turn this week, my dad said "Wow." Hmm....I suppose that's telling.

This morning, simply because I wanted to and it was my birthday, I went to the Farmers' Market. By myself. In the rain. I didn't so much want the rain part, but today I took what I could get. I also managed to get a fairly choice parking spot, due to the dreary weather, which is nothing to complain about. I enjoyed myself, bought some fruit, two last pints of berries for the summer, and resisted the urge to purchase any vegetables. Well, except for some lovely red peppers. I've been waiting all summer for red peppers, and this is the first time I've gotten my hands on any. Now that I've bought some, I'll probably get a bunch in my CSA basket this week...

We had a rare leisurely morning. Almost all of us enjoyed a family snuggle (one person slept late), and while I took a shower, Jeff made pancakes. He also baked my birthday cake this morning. It turned out great! What a treat to come from from the Farmers' Market to an apartment filled with the smell of chocolate.

The evening ahead holds some "just us" time with my husband, and I'm so looking forward to that. But for now, my ears are still pleasantly ringing with the sound of my love and our boys singing "Happy Birthday To You." I have such a sweet, precious family. Even Owen, who hasn't yet learned about birthday serenades; it was so fun to watch his beaming face, looking around at his daddy and brothers singing to me. He looked so incredibly pleased.

And so am I. What a blessing my family is!

a web-slinging good time

Friday night was Kyle's birthday party...his Spider-Man birthday party. This event has been highly anticipated by Kyle, Benjamin, their parents, and the family cat for months.

Here is his cake. It's supposed to be a skyscraper (there are windows on the sides) but it did not turn out quite as I had planned. I've been much happier with cakes of yore. But, Kyle liked it, and that's all that matters. It helps when you have a Spider-Man candle to blow out!

I didn't get any good pictures of him opening his presents (although not for lack of trying) but here he is examining one of his new toys. Inside are blocks, characters, etc.

Kyle got all bashful when everyone was singing "Happy Birthday to you..." to him. He grinned for the first measure or so, then hid behind his hands. Cute!

We were blessed to have a full house last night. Our guests consisted of six children (not counting mine) and an assortment of their parents. Kyle's Grandma & Grandpa Isom also came, and they are a wonderful addition to any party!

I have not represented the games we played here. We did two: a "Web Walk" like a cake walk, complete with prizes (which were a big hit). Less of a hit was a tie-up-the-criminal-with-toilet-paper game. Problem #1: the boys' team was full of people refusing to be the criminal...Jeff eventually volunteered, although another parent did most of the wrapping. Problem #2: cheap toilet paper? Tears very easily. Oh well, live & learn!