Thursday, May 20, 2010

Three Cheers for Special Occasions!

While I really am enjoying life without sugar, I also really look forward to the special occasions when I know I'm going to allow myself something sweet.  My dear sister-in-law's birthday is today (Happy Birthday, Kim!), so I invited her and my brother over for dinner the other night.   She may love chocolate as much as I do, so I knew her birthday cake would be chocolate, but the question was what kind of chocolate.


I headed over to Smitten Kitchen, one of my very favorite food sites and found something that sounded perfect- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.  Three layers of chocolate cake covered and layered with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, topped with peanut butter chocolate ganache...  Hey.  Snap out of it now.  Stop day dreaming about cake and read on.  Oh.  Maybe it's just me day dreaming. Sorry.

I planned on following Deb's recipe to the letter, but the sour cream I thought was in the fridge wasn't, so I used plain yogurt instead (it worked just fine).  And, I sprinkled the left over chocolate chips on top of the cake.  As if it needed more chocolate.


Deb warns that this cake is rich.  Let me just say this cake goes quite a bit beyond rich.  This is not your everyday cake.  This is a special occasion cake- not just because of the superb frosting and ganache, either.  This is no hum-drum chocolate cake- it's super moist and super tasty.  Man.  I wish there was still some left.  No, I don't.  Yes, I do.  No, I don't.

 

Oh.  I have one more recommendation if you're considering making this.  Refrain from eating any of this cake within four hours of bedtime.  Unless you want time to write about 5 blog posts in a quiet house. The chocolate and sugar kept me up until 3 am.  It was totally worth it.


And, while I fully enjoyed my little tryst with this cake, I'm back on the no sugar wagon.  It really is a good place for me to be.

I must say a very special happy birthday to Nora, my niece.  She was born around 3am this morning:-).
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13 comments:

  1. YUM! I so want to join you on the no sugar wagon. I have been trying since before Easter...and I just can't get through a day without it. It's like crack. Ridiculous. Any tips? Today is a new day...and so good so far. Ok, I've only been up for 2 hours! :)
    julie

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  2. I'm speechless...in a 'the drool is dripping out of my mouth' kind of way!

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  3. Me too...after I eat the entire thing myself. That looks INCREDIBLE!

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  4. That cake is making me drool! And up till 3 am---wow, you must have a really sensitive system! (Or maybe a confession is in order: how many pieces did you eat?)

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  5. "It was totally worth it"

    Sometimes it is... :)

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  6. Oh, that is one gorgeous cake! Have I mentioned how much I love peanut butter and chocolate? I must stop drooling now.

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  7. Oh my. That looks absolutely FABULOUS!!

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  8. Wow!! Are you kidding me? That cake looks incredible! You are the master baker I must say...I made a layer cake, once. Need I say more? My husband would love this cake...chocolate and peanut butter...and cream cheese!...you can't go wrong!

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  9. Oh my goodness this looks delicious! Now all I need is a special occasion!

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  10. Julie, Getting it all out of your house worked for me. Even now when I make something (for a special occasion or to take somewhere) the leftovers in the house are torture. I'm usually able to avoid them, but it's hard. For me, keeping them out of the house is the way.

    I've also noticed that when I allow myself something, it's like starting all over again. Sometimes I think it would almost be easier to avoid it all together!

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  11. Oh my that is so sinful, I wonder if it could be done with Splenda for Diabetics, what ya think?
    It really looks so good, I could almost taste it even, lots of hugs, Barbara

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  12. @ Julie... I have found that sucking on cough drops helps me not consume sweets. 2 weeks before a race I "go without" any form of candy,cookies, or dessert of any kind... and EVERY TIME you know what happens? I actually lose about 2lbs... It's amazing how much SUGAR filled goodness I eat... I think if you can make it past the 3 day mark... you are home free :)

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  13. oh man that looks good. I think I have a cake curse right now, because my special-occasion cakes are not turning out great. JJ's caramel cake is luring me and now this one is too even though our next family birthday isn't until August.

    If I had a piece of that, it would totally keep me up too :) I'm swooping around right now on one dip of chocolate ice cream at dinnertime.

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