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Follow me below the dkos spaghetti monster.
I don't usually do recipe diaries but I've been playing around in the kitchen lately. For a couple of years now I've been trying to combine chocolate and pumpkin in a holiday cake. The past results have been somewhat less than tasty. But I believe that I've finally worked things out. Read on below.
After acquiring the original recipe (for a rather dense pumpkin bread) from a coworker, I modified it multiple times. With the first modification, it became a Thanksgiving pumpkin cake. After receiving favorable feedback, I subsequently further modified it to become a Hanukah walnut pumpkin cake. Once again, I received favorable feedback. I've recently added the chocolate and it has taken on a whole new life. Even the beyond-finicky boran2 boy tried and liked it. And that is no small thing.
Made in my recently-acquired antique pie plate (directly below), the cake has a wonderfully crunchy edge and a peaked center. But you'll see that (way) below. (Note that I'm cutting the ingredients listed below in half to fit in the antique pie plate.)
First, the ingredients (as they now stand):
1 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ Cup canned pumpkin
¾ Cup vegetable oil (I use canola.)
walnuts (a good handful)
2 ounces of chocolate (unsweetened or semisweet)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
The original recipe calls for the mixing of the dry ingredients first, then the wet ones. Then everything is put together in a large bowl. Instead, I chose the lazy (and less bowl-intensive) way and simply threw everything together at once, making sure to mix the batter very well. I've made it both ways and have found no/little difference in the result.
On to the photos. Here is that batter. Note that this batch is a bit grainy as madame boran recently purchased some funky organic flour. Also, I've left out the walnuts this time pursuant to special request by the boran2 boy.
Here is the antique pie plate nearly filled to the brim with the raw batter just before baking. The reason for halving the ingredients is now clear. Perhaps someday I'll find another pie plate of similar size and can make two at once.
After baking (about 50 minutes), the result is seen below. (No, that really isn't a flying saucer.) The full recipe would likely require somewhat longer. In either case, the top will be fairly firm and golden brown and, as always, your toothpick/baking implement should come out clean.
Here is the cake with powdered sugar.
On to the nominations:
From Otteray Scribe:
You have to watch this NSFW video in order to fully appreciate the replies. I am not often at a loss for words, but in this case I will make an exception.
On to Top Mojo:
1) Sounds like you need by Reetz — 168
2) Here's to hoping there are lots more of you by gustynpip — 163
3) We can only hope she is the canary by ahumbleopinion — 117
4) If you pull everything out now by dhonig — 107
5) Reaction by JekyllnHyde — 99
6) There's more. My mom is one too. by janmtairy — 91
7) Object lessons. by Pluto — 90
8) Force the jury trial. Make LA pay. by zenbassoon — 89
9) Not "threatening to take away", by Gentle Giant — 88
10) Great Diary by NM Ray — 88
11) Also, civil disobedience isn't just about speech by localroger — 79
12) That is a headline right out of the Onion. by blue jersey mom — 75
13) Whenever I come home, as I am now, I try to by Mother Mags — 74
14) The list just keeps getting longer and longer... by teachme2night — 73
15) Two things: by Richard Cranium — 68
16) Why should they want to save LA money? by Dallasdoc — 67
17) What. The. Fuck? by Crashing Vor — 65
18) OMG by SilverWillow — 64
19) And if this happens, here is what I'd like the by zenbassoon — 61
20) I think if the U.S. by Horsefeathers — 59
21) I'm happy for you by broths — 59
22) Exactly.. by bevomav — 57
23) Republicans always were the party that only cared by Fury — 57
24) Spaceballs! by TJ — 56
25) Wow. Awesome story! by jpmassar — 56
26) Hah! by arizonablue — 55
27) wow, great story dear occupant by jamess — 55
28) "The banks own the place" by Chico David RN — 54
29) yes! by princesspat — 54
30) Tipped & Rec'd by montecristo — 54
31) I am getting out of Well Fargo. by blue jersey mom — 54
32) The city chose to spend the money it took to by Renee — 54
On to Top Photos. Thanks jotter!