Cake or Death?

Well, now that I've sussed out that there are more Izzard fans out there, I must show you the status of my first sock* and ask you the requisite question:   (Click for bigger view)

How'm I doing? Cake or death? 

Cake, please.

Oh, okay. Here is a silly Norma cake. But I'm warning you, it's addictive. It's more like a heavy pudding, really, than a cake. For my British friends, it almost has the texture of a treacle pud, without the treacle, but deep, dense chocolate flavour. It's one of those things for when you have to have a deep chocolate cake, like, NOW! It's not the prettiest-looking thing (unless you frost it, but I never do), but it is very rich, dense and chocolatey. (and it's fast and easy to make.) (What is this, becoming a food blog?!)

You could dust it with powdered sugar and put flowers or fruit on the top to serve at a romantic dinner for two.  Seduction guaranteed.

Norma's Microwave Chocolate Cake

1/4 cup of the best-quality cocoa powder you can get your hands on.  Mine comes from here. 

2/3 cup hot water, divided in two 1/3-cup portions

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (I use spelt flour, because it is slightly friendlier to my body than wheat.)

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is what makes it extra-special - trust me on this one.)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons walnut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Grease or spray with non-stick spray a round microwave-proof baking dish, approximately 8 inches by 1 1/2 or two inches.  (my cake always gets a little rambunctious and spills over the edge of the dish a bit, but I don't care.  I just eat the spillings off the microwave base and drippings over the side of the dish.  Those calories don't count.)

Line the dish with plastic wrap.

In small microwaveable bowl, mix 1/3 cup hot water with the cocoa powder; microwave on high 45-50 seconds or until slightly thickened.

In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add oil, remaining 1/3 cup water, egg, vanilla and chocolate mixture.  Beat by hand until batter is smooth and well blended.  Pour into prepared dish. 

Microwave on high 5-6 minutes, until cake begins to pull away from side of dish. Some moist spots might remain but will finish cooking on standing.  Let stand 5 minutes; invert onto serving plate.  Peel off plastic wrap and devour.  The best flavor in my opinion is when it's still warm, but not too hot.  It's great cold, too, but I like it best eaten warm, like a slightly oozy, warm, dense pudding. 

Next question:  Anybody have any idea why I've been putting on weight lately?  I have no idea.

Hey, we had a heck of a wind at our house last night, and this is the cool picture I got of the Japanese iris that opened up. The sun had pretty much set, it was sitting right at the horizon, the wind was blowing, the camera's flash went off, and you can see the movement of the flowers.  I thought it was kind of cool.  So especially since I can't take decent photos under the best of conditions, I might as well show you something that came out kinda neat by accident. See, the peonies behind have still not opened, but one is very close...maybe even today.

* Pattern:  Feather & Fan Sock from Socks Socks Socks

Yarn:  Koigu...unfortunately I don't have the color number.

Comments

[Cassie]

Well, I'm glad that you're doing something constructive (killing us all with chocolate) rather than beating up on the lace knitters out there. Those sneaky, lying b*tches.

Flowers and chocolate. Way to go. - and knit a little faster on that sock. It'll be fall before you know it.

[Laurie~Green-Eyed Grrl]

Gorgeous socks. . .just my color. . .:)

[Lauren]

Too bad my microwave still smells icky because this sounds yummy.

[Jessica]

sounds like my kind of baking, I'll have to try that one. the sock looks excellent, by the way.

[Siow Chin]

The sock is looking good. Now I'm debating with my inner demon whether I need more sock patterns. Thanks for the microwave cake recipe. I may finally be able to bake a cake now as, you see, I don't have an oven.

[sandy]

Microwaved.
Cake.
Hmm.
Love the iris, love the peonies, and LOVE the sock.

[Beth]

Can't wait to try the cake - the sock is groovy too!

"Don't call me Jeezy Creezy, Dad!"

[Kathleen]

Love that color in the socks. And you looked pretty good to me at MD. I thought you looked pretty skinny.

[Cara]

I'm finally doing socks as well. Although yours is A LOT fancier than mine. Looks great!

Next thing you know we'll be knitting lace....

[Teresa C]

Great! Just when I make a commitment to get back into my clothes you turn into the Food Network @ Norma's. thanks.

[margene]

By golly I think you've got it! The sock does take the cake. I'm not lookin' at recipe or bakin' the cake. I've got to keep Tyson happy....me happy, and get Smith thinner. I'm not workin' my ass off for nothin'. Stick with the socks!

[Jackie]

Great sock. And the cake - oh yum!!

[Anne]

And didja know if you eat those little crumbly edges while standing up in front of the microwave, you actually BURN calories?

That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

[Laurie]

I love the colorway of the sox. It is unusual and good. And it did not escape my notice that your peonies are about to explode. Beautiful iris color. BEAUTIFUL. But then, I'm a pushover for siberians.

[Beth S.]

Your sock is a work of art. Really! The color, the lace... and your heel looks great! :-)

Are you getting one complete sock from one skein? That's the big question with Koigu; it's so pretty, but the skeins are small.

[cari]

Mmmmm.....chocolate. I'm going to ignore that recipe. Pretend I never saw it. It will be of no help with this bit of grad school mush I need to get rid of.

[erin]

The sock looks wonderful. Mmmmm...Chocolate cake. *drool*

[Sarah]

Cake, absolutely! The sock is the most gorgeous thing - that's my favorite Koigu colorway. How long would you say the chocolate cake would need to bake in a conventional oven?

[Em]

Sounds like death by cake, actually. :)

I fell in love with Eddie during the whole empire riff. "What's that behind your back?" "Er, India and a number of other countries." "Put 'em back." "Oh, all right...but we need the Falklands for strategic sheep purposes."

(Um...hi. I quote things.)

What a beautiful colorway! I've got one kinda similar, with more grey than green.

[Michelene]

Your flowers and your sock look so fresh and perky. My peonies and irises have faded and everything else is droopy because it is already 90 frelling degrees in central Illinois. Only sturm und drang with ugly clouds, big winds, noisy thunder, then not even a spit of rain. I'm taking my leetle snow cone machine to the kindergarten today.
I declare that today, June 7, 2005 all cakes will be calorie free. I can do that, cause it's my b-day, which makes me queen of the kindergarten. (I love kindrgarteners)

[Stalker Angie]

Wow. Just....freakin wow. I love that sock. The colorway is perfect for the pattern. Looks like rolling hills of wild heather. Sooo purty. Now I won't get any work done today cuz of your sock. You should be ashamed. :P

Have a great day!!!

[stinkerbell]

Death please... no wait I mean cake... what do you mean you are all out of cake :) God I LOVE Eddie Izzard!!! Not only is the man GORGEOUS but he is fucking hysterical. I have had the pleasure of seeing him live and if it comes anywhere near you- I say GOOOOOOOO!

Oh and beautiful sock too!

[B.]

Here's a story about gaining weight: I had been advised to add soy protien to my diet, and found a yummy chocolate soy drink. A few months later I was wondering why all my jeans were getting tight. It turns out that if you systematically add a new source of calories to your regular diet, you will gain weight - who would have guessed? I hadn't realized that every cup of chocolate soy milk I was cheerfully drinking contained several (like five) teaspoons of sugar. I switched to smaller portions of less-sweet vanilla soy milk and tried to cut back on other uses of sugar, and the jeans soon started feeling more comfortable. I wonder if you have made some similar addition to your diet, or could make a similar small, but regular, cut-back in calories.

[Jean E.]

Cake. Love the socks. Can't wait to try the cake recipe. It's supposed to be 90 degrees here today, so microwave cake sounds like just the thing. I think I might have to have some vanilla ice cream with it. The cold ice cream calories subtract from the warm cake calories for a net of zero calories. I am sure this is true. I just can't figure out why my jeans don't believe it.

[Timothy]

Gosh, that cake looks yummy, and so easy. And I believe you about the pepper. I have a zucchini bread recipe that includes Thai Dragon chilis :)

[B.]

I should have added - you're not eating microwave chocolate cake every day are you? Also, that cake sounds like it should be eaten with vanilla ice cream.

[Daphne]

That does it. I'm going home NOW and getting out Socks Socks Socks and casting on Feather & Fan. Screw work. Who needs work? Plus, I am really really really tired.

Also: I am really really annoyed that I am putting my hips & thighs back on while riding my bike eight miles every day and not eating more than usual. They've put something in our water, I think.

[Kathy]

Definitely cake -- no doubt about that. Your sock is looking AWESOME!

[Daphne]

PS yes, also an Eddie Izzard fan. not well-enough-versed to catch the subtler references, though.

[susan]

Thanks for the recipe. I have a recipe for vegan choco cake if you're interested. To.die.for.

[ann]

that recipe looks great!

[Kathy]

Now, see, I thought you were talking about the *sock* being rich and delicious...which indeed it is.

Now, to summon up the willpower to ignore said recipe entirely. Nope. Not gonna do it. Not me.
(wonders how much cocoa powder is left in the pantry...)

[joan]

See, just reading Norma for today we get the following:

One totally splendid sock inspiration
A recipe for a chocolate cake even I could make - and eat - probably before my husband even got home ("hey, the kitchen smells great!!" "oh, (vaguely) does it?")
the idea that there is a zucchini bread recipe which calls for Thai chilis (would love to see that one too, Timothy)
And a wonderful new turn of phrase - "strategic sheep purposes"

Oh, and Norma, I'm mailing you the diet pepsi!

[liz]

Izzard! Ciao!

[Julia]

Norma, look at you! That sock is gorgeous! You're a sock-kntter. And I can't believe you can make a decent cake in a microwave, but I am dying for you to prove me wrong, so I'll just have to try it. Are you sure you mean cayenne pepper and not cinnamon? Okay, but somebody besides me is gonna eat the first piece.

[Elizabeth]

I've never microwaved a cake before but it's over 30'C right now so I may try it ...as a treat for the kids (cough). It's interesting to compare your flower blooming schedule in Vermont to ours in Ontario. For example, your lilacs bloomed first but my candy tuft is already almost done...though I know micro-climates account for alot. Knitting blog, gardening, food - it's all good.

[Lee Ann]

There's a place around the corner from us that makes chocolate ganache squares hand-dipped in dark chocolate, and one of the varieties has cayenne pepper in it. It. Is. Soooooo. Awesome.

My waistband hurts.

[Lee Ann]

P.S. The sock looks gorgeous!

[Andrea]

I am in love with your sock. So lovely!

[Donna]

Mein Gott!! The cocoa comes from the Vermont Free Chocolates and you have "walnut" oil in the recipe!! Oh well at least the sock is "nut free". Right?

[Betsy]

What pattern is that sock? I am addicted to sock patterns!!!!!!!!!!

[lanea]

Death! Wait, no. Cake! Cake, I meant cake!

[Timothy]

Oh, btw, I was wondering, do spelling bees polinate the spelt plant?

[michele]

Hi,
just hopped over from a link on Margene's blog...I'm printing the cake recipe as I type...love that sock too! I'll be back...

[michele]

just stopping by from a link on Margene's blog about your chocolate cake (she DID end up making it). I love the socks too!!! I'll be back and I'm printing the recipe as I type :)