Busy working

I'm like a chicken with my head cut off.  We left at 9pm last Thursday night to head to STL.  I came straight from my book club, and Scott had everything loaded up, and we took off.  Thursday was crazy.  We had a mom's picnic in the morning and then I had the book club that evening.  I made a Mexican chocolate cake (which turned out great).  I was too busy to even dream of taking a photo of it.  But rest assured it was enjoyed by all.  I think all 7 of the women at Book Club were in a chocolate coma after a few minutes.  We all brought chocolate food in honor of our book Like Water for Chocolate (which turns out not to be that much about chocolate--but we didn't know that when we set the date and food theme).  It takes place in Mexico, so I was inspired to make a Mexican flavored cake.  I took my trusty chocolate cake recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, and substituted cocoa for 1/2 Mexican cocoa and 1/2 Mayan cocoa (which gives you in addition to cocoa a chili pepper, vanilla, and cinnamon flavor).  I added extra cinnamon and a hint of cardammom.  I made a filling type frosting to put between my layers (a mixture of semi-sweet morsels, a little light corn syrup, and butter).  It poured over but didn't run off the sides.  Then I sprinkled that w/a mix of my cocoas and extra cinnamon.  Then for the top and sides I made a frosting w/8 oz semi-sweet Baker's chocolate and 2 oz bittersweet Baker's chocolate.  I melted this w/2 TBS butter.  In a bowl I took 6 TBs of softened butter and whipped it til creamy w/some of my special cocoa/cinnamon mix (just a little) and then added the chocolate.  I then added some whipping cream and powdered sugar--no idea how much-not very much--just until I creamed it to a consistency I liked for spreading and not too sweet.  Maybe 1/2 c of each then add as necessary.  The frosting set up a bit--really perfect.  I decorated w/sliced strawberries and bananas to cut the chocolate (the frosting tasted a lot like fondue--so the fruit went well with it).

Getting it there was fun.  I couldn't find my cake taker (maybe in the attic in some random box?) You don't get into our attic, so I put it up on a pedestal cake plate.  Stabbed it with 100 toothpick (hyperbole) and covered w/plastic wrap.  I had set the cake on a springform pan bottom so I could pick it up and move it from stand to tupperware later.  Good idea if you aren't transporting--bad idea for car travel.  I had to wedge the holder between my purse and boxes in the floor board and drive nice and slow into turns.  I did make it, but I was certain it would be destroyed before I made it.

I have been working like crazy on stuff for C's b-day.  I need to take some photos of stuff I'm making.  It's going to be fun--as long as it doesn't rain.  It will still be fun, but not as fun.