Friday, January 16, 2009

Happy Happy Birthdays!!!

Today is Dan's 6th birthday. He was my fifth and biggest baby weighing in at 11 lbs and 2 oz, 22 1/2 inches, and born naturally! It's hard to believe six years have passed since that day.

Tomorrow is Autumn's 17th birthday. That is pretty shocking. She is my first born, and now has her license, and is a Junior in high school. Where did the last 5 years go? They seemed to have flown by!!

Yesterday I made a chocolate fudge cake in honor of their special days, which will be celebrated tonight. It looks scrumptious! I will share the recipe with you all since I am pleased with the results, it comes from cooks.com


First a few shots of the process:

Sifting the flour, baking soda and salt and directed...



I don't have a large enough bowl for cake batter, so I use a pan...LOL!!


melting the baking chocolate in a double boiler...


The batter poured into prepared pans....


The lucious final product!!



CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

3 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
2 1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. dairy sour cream
1 c. boiling water
Chocolate Fudge Frosting (recipe follows)

Melt chocolate in a small bowl over hot, not boiling, water; cool. Grease and flour two 9 x 1 1/2 inch layer cake pans; tap out excess flour. Sift flour, baking soda and salt onto wax paper.

Beat butter until soft in large bowl. Add brown sugar and eggs; beat with mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and cooled melted chocolate. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition until batter is smooth. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin. Pour at once into prepared pans.

Bake in moderate 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until centers spring back when lightly press with fingertip. Cool layers in pans on wire rack, 10 minutes; loosen around edges with a small knife or spatula; turn out onto wire racks; cool completely. Makes 12 servings.

Make Chocolate Fudge Frosting. Put 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with about 1/4 of frosting; add second layer, spread remainder on side and top of cake, making swirls with spatula.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 pkg. (1 lb.) 10X confectioners' sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine chocolate and butter in small, heavy saucepan. Place over low heat, just until melted. Remove from heat. Combine 10X sugar, milk and vanilla in medium bowl; stir until smooth; add chocolate mixture. Set bowl in pan of ice and water; beat with wooden spoon until frosting is thick enough to spread and hold its shape.
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Today was supposed to be very low key, just cake and a gift for both Autumn and Daniel, but before I knew it she had invited a few friends so an impromptu party it is!

I am happy with the cake, but you will note I am NOT a perfectionist by any means.
The man of my dreams will be bringing home pizza, hot wings & soda for dinner and I will have guitar hero on standby for the friends arrival. Not to mention, Felicia's electric guitar is plugged in and standing the corner of the living room. I bet I will con talk someone into playing it for us!! Hopefully the boys don't mind the hot pink...hehe I will post photos tomorrow.

Now I must go and make lunch, pick Ryan up from school early for two doctors appointments, then back to the school to pick up another child on time for dismissal, then back home for more tidying, hence the easy dinner. ;-)

I hope you have a beautiful day where ever you are, and whatever circumstances you find yourself in.

Colossians 3:17
17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Ephesians 6:7-8
7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

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