Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganache

Welcome to adult life. I'm a new kitten mom and starting a real job on Friday. With a retirement plan. So weird, honestly. But also I read a tweet saying that adult life gets better once you realize you don't need an occasion to make and eat a cake. So that's what I did, although arguably I'm celebrating my new kitty.

Meet Nissa:

I got Nissa unexpectedly this past Saturday. My fiance and I had been talking about getting an animal for quite awhile, but he was gunning for a dog or bunny. I had begged for a cat, but pretty much given up on ever having one. I made all my arguments for a cat, explaining that it was probably the best pet for our lifestyle, but my fiance wasn't really swayed.

Enter Nissa.

On Saturday I was in a store with a friend when I suddenly heard high pitched meowing. A guy had come in with a little kitten in a cardboard box. He explained that he had found her under his car and couldn't keep her and that since it was kitten season all the ethical shelters were full. My heart melted. I asked if I could touch her, and she leaped right into my arms. I explained to the guy that I needed my fiance's permission, but was interested in keeping her.

After some begging, sweet Alex reluctantly agreed. Nissa was mine. The Humane Society thinks she's about 8 weeks old, and other than being a little skinny, was healthy. They even gave me a grant to get her spayed and her shots for free, a long with some kitty kibble.

She is the kitten I always wanted. She's playful but loves to cuddle, and loves to "talk" to me. She's the sweetest little thing, purrs like a lawnmower. I'm so in  love. I feel like a new mom, constantly posting pictures of her everywhere, but I can't help it. She's mine. Since I haven't started work yet, we just cuddle and play all day.

Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ganaches

cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup coffee, cooled

filling

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup whipping cream

8 Reese's miniatures, chopped

icing

1 stick butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (buy it on Amazon. it's cheaper than buying the pods. and amazing.)

1/4 cup whipping cream

1. To make the cake, start by stirring together the dry ingredients.
2. Add in the eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, and blend together until smooth.
3. Pour in coffee. Batter will be thin, once stirred together.
4. Pour into two pans (I used 9x9 squares, but rounds will work just as well). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the middle springs back when touched.
5. Let cool thoroughly, and remove from pans.
6. Using a wooden spoon, poke holes in the top of one of the cakes (like the picture above).
7. While the cakes are cooling, make the ganaches. Melt together the peanut butter and coconut oil, then stir until smooth. Let cool.
8. Melt together the chocolate chips and cream. Stir until homogeneous.
9. Once the cake is cool, spread the peanut butter onto the cake, making sure to get it into all the holes. Sprinkle on the peanut butter cups, then carefully spoon on most of the chocolate ganache. I sprinkled on some salt at this point. Highly recommend.
10. Stack the other layer on top, and let set.
11. Make the buttercream frosting. Ensure that the butter is room temperature and soft. Stir in two cups of the powdered sugar.
12. Add in the cream, the remaining sugar, and vanilla paste. I also added a dash of salt, but that's up to you and your taste.
13. Carefully frost the cake, then drizzle on remaining ganache, swirling with a spoon. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat.

A Birthday Cake for Mom

Hi Mom.

I know you'd probably prefer I celebrate your birthday with fewer carbs and a little less sugar. I could've made a nice salad with steak and quinoa, topped with some strawberries (good idea, we'll revisit that one). If you were going to eat a cake, you would've preferred carrot. But I thought something new could be fun.

Dusted with cocoa powder

So instead, we have a perfectly moist chocolate cake topped with peanut butter frosting, not too sweet, but salty, with crunchy little granules of sugar. And I drove it down to Tarpon to surprise you and eat dinner by the sponge docks. Happy birthday, Mom.

This makes me weirdly aware of how rarely I take horizontal pictures

Fun fact: I'm a terrible example as a baker, which means I don't actually measure ANYTHING. Unless I'm making something really finicky, I kind of just eyeball everything. Oops. It's worked out so far.

Chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Frosting
cake
I used this recipe

frosting
1 stick salted butter
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1. Microwave the butter and peanut butter for 45 seconds. The butter will be pretty much all melted, and the peanut butter will be stir-able.
2. Stir in both sugars and the salt until smooth.
3. Spread on cooled cake or eat with a spoon. Enjoy.
   
   
   

Carrot Cake

Caaaaaaaake

My mom's birthday was earlier this week, and as always, she requested carrot cake. This is the recipe we've been using for years and years, developed to perfection.

Batter full of chunks.

My dad and I adapted it from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, and have been working to perfect it for the last I-don't-even-know-how-many years, which has been hard since neither of us actually like this cake.

And now, here it is. It's moist, it's chunky. I frost it with cream cheese frosting because that's what my mama likes. Do what you wish, but that's how we do it 'round here.

Carrot Cake
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups shredded carrot
1 cup golden raisins
6 oz walnuts, chopped

frosting
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Stir together dry cake ingredients.
2. Blend in oil.
3. Add eggs one at a time.
4. Stir in all other cake ingredients.
5. Pour into two 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
6. For frosting, blend together all ingredients until smooth.
7. After cake has cooled, frost and serve.

Happy birthday Mom!