Fudge Cake for the Graduate

This was a weekend of celebrations. My weekend began on Wednesday night when my cute mom and grandma came to town to celebrate the amazingness that is my husband.

Andrew received his Masters of Accountancy on Friday. Yep, he is a master over accounting. Take that accounting.

And spring celebrated too.

And it's not a celebration if there is not cake. I was told this was the BEST chocolate cake ever. I wouldn't know. I don't like chocolate so I've never eaten a piece. I just make it on special occasions because it is Andrew's favorite and whenever I make it he eats it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

 

This cake is unlike any cake I've ever made. The recipe is strange and it does amazing things. It has to be special since the recipe was crazy hard to get.

There is a restaurant in town that makes this cake and is famous for it. Andrew loves it so I tried to recreate it or find the recipe on the internet. No such luck. Finally after searching for days, I was complaining at work about the fact that I would never get the recipe, someone overheard and said they were close friends of the restaurant owners and had the recipe. They gave it to me the next day.

That is just proof that my mom was wrong when she said complaining never solved anything. You remember that too.

I hope you make this on a special or not-so-special occasion. It really is that good. Enjoy.

Fudge Cake

Boil together:
1 c water
1 c butter
4 Tbs cocoa (heaping)

Sift together:
2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Pour chocolate liquid over sifted ingredients. Stir slightly.

Mix:
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sour cream

After mixing add to the chocolate mixture. DO NOT BEAT OR OVER MIX

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes in a sheet pan or two, 8" round pans. When done, let cool completely before frosting. Frost the cake and then cover completely. Freeze overnight (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. DO NOT OMIT THIS STEP. Freezing the cake makes it smoosh into itself and become dense and fudge-like. It does not dry out the cake at all.)

Chocolate butter cream frosting
1 c butter, room temp
1/2 c evaporated milk (not condensed)
3 Tbs cocoa
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

How I almost died at 23

It started like this:

"Hey Joce, do you want to hike Angel's Landing with a group of people?"


Sure, Andrew, sounds swell.


Then this happened:

Followed by this:

Yes. That is right. So many people have died on this hike that they added chains for people to hold on to so if you fall, you don't slide right off the side of the mountain, you just dangle there grasping onto the chain for dear life.

And sure you get to see views like this:

And get to say that you conquered this beast:

But who's enjoying that when you feel like this:

Thanks, Andrew, for a very memorable weekend.

Maybe next time we can just watch Survivor Man at home. While eating Mudslide ice cream.

Thursday Things

You know where oatmeal doesn't belong? In cookies.



And why is it at work today that all I had to eat was this apple when all I wanted was a cake doughnut?





This is my work space, by the way. Also known as my cubicle. Just thought you might like to picture where I live for 8+ hours a day.

This weekend. Angels Landing at Zion's National Park. Every time I tell people I am going to hike it they suddenly look very concerned and say, "Ohhh, be careful!" Thanks, that doesn't make me the least bit nervous. My new found anxiety and my extreme fear of heights is going to make this hike very eventful.

Still, I can't wait!