CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE FOR MY GUY

Is there a birthday message in this world that could

include all my feelings in two lines?

There never was and there never will be.

That's why I simply want to close my eyes and

tie in all the wishes of my heart in two simple beautiful words ?

Happy Birthday

CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE

1 3/4 cup flour
2 Cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra- large eggs, room temperature
1 T. vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed coffee
6 ounces good quality semi- sweet chocolate
1/2 Pound of butter, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 T. instant coffee

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

 

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

 

For the frosting,  chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

 

 

BEST MORNING WAFFLES......So light and so fluffy!

Mom! Will you make me waffles?

Nick had yet another birthday! He was attending a wedding up in Canada this week, so we will be celebrating all three July family birthdays this weekend. I adore this picture of him when we went sailing in Maine. He commented how much Canada reminded him of Maine and that beautiful harbor view they remembered. Nick has earned the name "Nick Danger" for good reason. He has brought us joy, worry, ultimate laughter and, I may add, he is fabulously handsome (spoken like an adoring Mother)! We just adore this kid!  Good times......more to be had! What better way to begin the weekend mornings than with delicious, hot homemade waffles!

ESTELLE'S WAFFLES

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 Tablespoon sugar

 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 beaten egg yolks

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites - beaten stiffly

Mix all dry ingredients. Combine yolks and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in oil and mix. GENTLY fold in beaten egg whites, do not over mix.
Pour about 1/2 cup at a time into waffle iron.

AN EASY SUMMER CAKE....MAGICALLY DELICIOUS

"When I was a little kid, of course, I was brown all summer.

That's because I was free as a bird- nothing to do but catch bugs all day."
~Roy Blount Jr.
 

 

 

Cooling Off

 

Slip and Slide under the Duke's Waterfall

 

Comparing Puddles

 

The Water Park

 

Ice Cold Popsicles

 

Shucking fresh golden corn

 

Making breakfast for Mom

 

This is an old fashioned dessert known as Magic Cake. There was a restaurant in Jackson called The Elite Café who used to serve a very similar dessert! It is so easy, and would be perfect served with fresh summer berries! It bakes into three layers of cake and a lovely custard pudding!

 

MAGIC CAKE

4 eggs (separate yolks from whites) at room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter, melted

3/4 cup all- purpose flour

2 cups milk, lukewarm

powdered sugar for dusting cake

 

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish.

Separate eggs and add the egg whites to a mixer and mix until egg whites are stiff. Place egg whites in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light. Add butter and vanilla extract and continue beating for another minute or two after which you can add the flour and mix it in until fully incorporated.

Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together. Add the egg whites, a third at a time and gently fold them in using a spatula, repeat until all egg whites are folded in. Another variation to folding in the egg whites would be to add a third of the egg whites and gently whisk them in to the cake batter, then reverse the process and add a bit of the cake mixture to the egg whites and gently whisk in, repeat until all cake batter has been whisked in.

Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. The baking time could vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a peek at around 40 minutes and see how it looks.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar after cake has cooled.

 

WHAT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY STYLE?

 

 

“If there's something that you're dreaming

 of then may it all come true,

because you deserve it all..."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

 

 

 

 

"I hope your dreams take you... to the corners of your smiles,

to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities,

 and to the most special places your heart has ever known.”

 

 

 

“Hope your Birthday gently breezes into your life

all the choicest of things and

all that your heart holds dear~

Have A Fun- Filled Day"

This is an ultimate tender, moist cake perfect for birthdays and special occasions, yet simple enough for everyday cupcakes. Vanilla and almond flavors combine to give you smooth, mellow flavors reminiscent of your favorite bakery cakes!

ANNIE DEAN'S WHITE BIRTHDAY CAKE
2 3/4 cups Unbleached Cake Flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs whites plus 1 whole large egg

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8" x 2" or 9" x 2" round pans; or 2 standard cupcake pans (20 to 24 cupcakes) by greasing and flouring; or lining with parchment, then greasing the parchment.

Mix all of the dry ingredients on slow speed to blend. Add the soft butter and mix until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand. It may form a paste, depending on the temperature of the butter, how much it's mixed, and granulation of the sugar used.

 Add the egg whites one at a time, then the whole egg, beating well after each addition to begin building the structure of the cake. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

 In a small bowl, whisk the milk with the vanilla and almond extracts. Add this mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the batter. Beat 1 to 2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes for 8" or 9" rounds; or 18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven, remove from the pan, and frost with a good buttercream!

 

 

CHERRY PINEAPPLE CAKE .......CELEBRATING AMERICA

Wishing You A Very Happy and Safe 4th of July, 2013! Casual, but elegant

During summer in the South, life just slows down and

 gets more laid-back

 

We will be lighting up the sky by the end of the night Our Country Tis' of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty 4TH OF JULY CHERRY PINEAPPLE CAKE 1 (21- ounce) can cherry pie filling 1 (15- ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 8 ounces of chopped walnuts 1 and 1/2 sticks of cold butter In a 9 "x 13" baking dish,  mix cherries and pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pineapple, and cherry mixture. Then sprinkle walnuts over top.  Slice cold butter into 1 T. pieces and place evenly over the top of the cake.

Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 35 or 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream!

RECOGNIZING OUR INNER GODDESS...ADVICE FROM COCO

"Ageless fashion advice for women starts when we recognize our inner goddess -- the timeless spirit that illuminates each of us."

~Coco Chanel

 

 

"Nature gives you the face you have at twenty;

it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty."

~Coco Chanel

 

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only.

Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas,

the way we live, what is happening.”

~Coco Chanel

 

The month of July always requires me to face the "aging factor!" At times, I feel the age span grows wider between me and some of my younger friends. I keep growing older, yet I tend to see them as staying the way they were, which of course, is not the case. I had a good friend who just turned 40 last week. Oh yes, I remember 40. While her mindset is that she has crossed the curve of being "middle aged", the fact is, 40 sounds pretty good right now. I told her to enjoy her 40's and celebrate these years, because they are a whole lot better than your 60's! Now I know to her, that sounds like "grandma years!" She commented, with her usual sense of humor, that she could not wait to visit me in the "old folks" home and see what hairstyle I had!

 

Hold on girly.....I ain't done yet!

So....in reading fashion tips for women over the age of 50,

these are snippets of an article I read recently!

 

Fashion after 50 celebrates how we make clothes look good on you because your wisdom, laughter, and creativity show you how to dress your fashion archetypes. No younger woman can bring that full-bodied, rich reservoir of inner savvy to life like you can. It's time to feel good about the skin you're in.

(So far so good...well said, I thought~)

 Cotton and polyester

Draw string pants

Tunic tops that hide a multitude of sins

Sensible and comfortable flat shoes

Washable and wrinkle-free fabrics.

Fashion color coordination by purchasing sets and

mix-and-match garments to make dressing easy.

Relaxed fit garments, such as drawstring pants.

A selection of tee-shirts in a variety of colors to vary your look.

A go-everywhere jacket that can top many outfits.

A wonderful cardigan sweater or shawl to span the seasons

You Can Master the Easy Art of Carefree Style

 

(OK.....are you kidding me....thoroughly depressing!)

 

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

~Coco Chanel

 

 

"The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” 

~Coco Chanel

 

 "I am not young but I feel young.

The day I feel old, I will go to bed and stay there.
J'aime la vie! I feel that to live is a wonderful thing."~Coco Chanel

 

  

 

SUMMER MARGARITA CREAMSICLES

I drifted into a summer nap, under the hot shade of July, serenaded by a cicadae lullaby, to drowsy-warm dreams of distant thunder.~ Terri Guillemets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

relax....be lazy......daydream

 

Summer Margarita Creamsicles

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 ripe banana, frozen
1 lime, squeezed, and a pinch of lime zest
1/2 cup frozen peaches or mango
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup ice
2 t. agave syrup
3 shots gold tequila

Blend. Pour. Salt glass rims and  serve with a slice of fresh lime and mild orange pepper!