Cinco de Mmmmmmayo

A post in two parts:

The Sour:

Did I really hear three separate intelligent adults ask over the course of last week "what day is Cinco de Mayo?"  Maybe you don't know Spanish. But trust me, you don't need a translator. You only need to have either: 

1. attended college. You will know Cinco de Mayo and its correlated festivities like you know your name after your freshman year.

2. Live anywhere near a bar because it seems it is the duty of every bar to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Even at Heinrich's Hofbrau Fetszelt.

3. Drive by any bar any time during the week prior to Cinco de Mayo. They even make it easy on those passing by because they have giant signs indicating: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta! HERE on MAY 5!

The first and second time I heard someone ask, I thought they just forgot that Cinco de Mayo is May 5. The third time, I thought oh heaven help us BUT for the benefit of the doubt I considered perhaps this person meant the actual day of the week. 

Me: Do you mean what day of the week?

Him: No, the actual date

Me: ummmm, I think it's on the 10th.

Him: I don't think so. I think cinco means five. 

Me: Tell me all about it Juan Ponce de Leon. 

For everyone celebrating with a cool tangy margarita treat-a, some chips and salsa, a refreshing Pacifio, or just simply wearing a sombrero to celebrate the long ago day in history the Mexican Army beat the French at the Battle of Puebla (It is not Mexico's Independence Day by the way) please enjoy. 

The Sweet:

When you make this cake, or lure someone with all kinds of frisky favors to make it for you, and then you want to immediately sit down and compose a sonnet to forever capture your feelings of love and chocolate passion, don't pen that ode to me. This is my Aunt Shelley's recipe. I don't typically post recipes middle of the blog week but this is one of my all-time favorite tributes of goodness. And JohnnyMac, who doesn't really dig sweets, once saw me packing this up after a party for one of our friends and he immediately lured me (with all kinds of frisky favors) to give away very little and save the rest for him. It. is. THAT. GOOD.

Happy Cinco de Mayo friends!

Mexican Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

1 stick butter (no one said light or fat-free did they?)
1/2 cup oil ( I use canola)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (*you can make your own, see below)
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Put butter and chocolate in saucepan over medium low heat until completely melted. Cool by adding oil and water. Put all other ingredients in mixing bowl and slowly incorporate the melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Pour into a greased 11 x 15 pan (you can use a lipped cookie sheet) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. While cake is still warm top with:

Mexican Chocolate Cake Icing:

1 stick butter (don't worry about it!)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbl milk
1 lb powdered sugar.
1 tsp vanilla

Put butter and chocolate in saucepan until completely melted. Remove from heat and add milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Use handmixer until completely smooth.

Note: the batter and icing are not stiff.
Note 2: when my Aunt makes this cake, she uses all buttermilk and no water
Note 3: I have added cinnamon to the icing as well. And I have added a dash of cayenne pepper to the batter before too. Mmmmm...spicy and fantastic.

* if you don't have buttermilk, add 1/2 T of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 c. of milk. Let stand for a few minutes and then proceed.

Take a Bite Of: Mexican Chocolate Cake

Congratulations to Tara at Tarable for winning the Starbucks giveaway. Thank you all for celebrating that landmark with me.

We are having a fab get together this afternoon with some close friends and family before JohnnyMac and I head off to the formal night of my 20 year reunion. JohnnyMac's interest in his own 20 year reunion was quite low to the ground while my enthusiasm for mine is skyrocket-like which includes high kicks and singing song lyrics like "It's tricky to rock and rhyme, rock and rhyme its right on time".

And since I am a speaker tonight, I green-lighted a few extra shots for him, AND assured him none of my comic stylings on the mic will be about him.

And if you don't like to bake, don't want to learn, but need the one sure thing you can bring to holiday parties, office get togethers, or baby showers, look no further my friend. This may be the most delicious cake I have ever made. And I make a particular cake that requires seven hours of my time. This one though, could not be easier. I even won a neighborhood bake-off with this recipe.

Not too long ago, it was pointed out to me (by JohnnyMac and supported by HiPie) that whenever I make something I like, instead of just asking someone to try it and tell me what they think, because I am brimming with enthusiasm (and confidence, apparently) I opt rather to say "try this. Its incredible, isnt it?" I will save you all of the accolades that accompany this recipe because some people don't need to be led to the water to drink, do they? Buon Appetito!

Mexican Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

1 stick butter (no one said light or fat-free did they?)
1/2 cup oil ( I use canola)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (*you can make your own, see below)
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Put butter and chocolate in saucepan over medium low heat until completely melted. Cool by adding oil and water. Put all other ingredients in mixing bowl and slowly incorporate the melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Pour into a greased 11 x 15 pan (you can use a lipped cookie sheet) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. While cake is still warm top with:

Mexican Chocolate Cake Icing:

1 stick butter (don't worry about it!)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
6 Tbl milk
1 lb powdered sugar.
1 tsp vanilla

Put butter and chocolate in saucepan until completely melted. Remove from heat and add milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Use handmixer until completely smooth.

Note: the batter and icing are not stiff.
Note 2: when my Aunt makes this cake, she uses all buttermilk and no water
Note 3: I have added cinnamon to the icing as well. And I have added a dash of cayenne pepper to the batter before too. Mmmmm...spicy and fantastic.

* if you don't have buttermilk, add 1/2 T of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 c. of milk. Let stand for a few minutes and then proceed.

Take A Bite Of: 12 Layer Chocolate Cake

Your soon to be favorite birthday gift. This recipe is from Art Smith, personal chef to Oprah for over a decade. The picture alone will make you salivate. Its birthday weekend here for multiple family and friends so what better way to show some love than 12 layers of deliciousness? Buon Appetito!

12 Layer Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
Butter, flour, and waxed paper, for coating the pans
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 c. sugar
6 eggs
4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted 3 times
1 1/2 t. baking powder
pinchs salt
3 c. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

Icing:
3 c. sugar
1/2 c. high-quality cocoa powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 can (12-ounce) evaporated milk
1 T. vanilla extract

Pecan halves, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter four 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with waxed paper, then butter the paper. Flour the pans.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. To the butter and egg mixture, gradually add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between them. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour and milk are incorporated, add the vanilla extract.

Add 1 cup of batter to each prepared pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until light brown. Remove the layers from the pans and cool on a wire rack, placing the paper side down. Wash the pans. Butter and flour the pans again for the next batch of cakes. Repeat the process until 12 layers are baked.

When all the layers have cooled, make the icing. Combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and cool 2 minutes until the icing is thin but spreadable. (This icing becomes thicker as it cools.) Add the vanilla extract.

Remove the waxed paper from each layer. Place one layer of cake on a wire rack and spread with icing. (For easier cleanup, assemble the cake over an edged sheet pan to collect runoff icing.) Add the next layer and ice it. Continue adding and icing layers, then pour remaining icing over the top. Icing that drips down can be used to cover the sides. Garnish with pecan halves, if desired.