Chocolate Mud Cake and Marshmallows

For the last two weeks I've been craving marshmallows: gooey, creamy, tasty marshmallows, and I have no idea why. I finally went and bought some this weekend and decided to combine it with my new favourite chocolate cake recipe - Chocolate Mud Cake by Planet Cake. In the spirit of the new year, I thought I'd adapt this recipe to use as cupcakes.

Now as the wise Jill Scott once said, "everything ain't for everybody". 

As in life, where some things or some people, just aren't meant to go together, no matter how much you might want it to work; so too in the case of the chocolate mud cake recipe and cupcake cases. I tried it once earlier on in the week and wasn't that happy so this weekend I tried something slightly different but the results stayed the same. It just wasn't meant to be.

I will say that as a cake, it is amazing; rich, moist and generally delicious. But as cupcakes, it's not so great. Not terrible mind, but definitely nowhere near as wonderful. So my advice is that if you want to make great chocolate cupcakes use this recipe* instead.

And if I haven't put you off the chocolate mud cake recipe, (which I sincerely hope I haven't), then I have included it below. It is truly a delicious cake and best made as per the instructions- I know because I have done it!

Mud Cake Recipe from Planet Cake (8" square cake)

220g (7 3/4 oz) butter
220g (7 3/4 oz) dark chocolate chopped
25g (1 oz/ half cup) coffee granules
125 g (4 1/2 oz) self raising flour
125 g (4 1/2 oz) plain (all purpose) flour
50 g (1 1/2 oz / 1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
480g (1lb 1 oz / 1 3/4 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
4 eggs lightly beaten
7 teaspoons vegetable oil
100ml (3 1/2 fl oz) buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C (315 deg F /gas 2-3)

Grease tin and line the base and sides with a collar. 

2. Put the butter, chocolate and coffee in a saucepan with 160 ml water and stir over low heat until melted then remove from heat.

3. Sift the flours, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and make well in centre. Add the combined egg, oil and buttermilk and chocolate mixture, stir with a large spoon till completely combined.

4. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour 40 minutes. Leave in the tin until it's completely chilled. 

How many times do we try to make things into what they are not? I'll leave you with this well known prayer & I wish you all serenity, courage & wisdom.

Peace & Love

xx

* I covered my chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow fluff, chopped marshmallows and chocolate chips. It was exactly what I was after, a complete sugar overload!

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Mallows D'Amour

It may or may not come as a surprise to you that I don't consider myself to be particularly domesticated. When I think of someone who is a real life domestic goddess, I think of my sister - she cooks, she bakes bread, she sews, she's organised, she's pretty much awesome. I on the other hand consider myself to be scatty, a little disorganised and definitely not domesticated. And yet here I am, making rose flavoured mini marshmallows... 

This poses a serious question, who and what defines us? I considered myself a career woman, managing people and multi million pound budgets, but now that I have made marshmallows am I officially domesticated?! What has become of me? :)

Whilst I ponder on my fate, I am enjoying these delicious homemade marshmallows, which incidentally are much softer and fluffier than shop-bought ones. They have been lightly flavoured with Rose Essence and are perfect for roasting over the fire on bonfire night or dunking in a big mug of hot chocolate.  You can find the recipe here from the Hope and Greenwood blog.

Have a great weekend and stay safe.

Peace and Love

xx

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For I Know The Plans I Have For You....

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.
Lao Tzu

The reality of not being at work whilst I 'harmonise my life' is starting to set in. On one hand I am having an amazing time exploring my creativity, spending time with my family & friends & generally just getting my life in order. On the other hand the world does not slow down just because I have chosen to. My master financial plan is slowly coming undone and things that I thought were going to be taken care of, began looking less likely.  

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear and panic started to set in and one day I sat looking at my bank balance literally shaking thinking 'What on earth am I going to do?!' I had to check myself: God's plan is to prosper me & not to harm me, to give me a hope & a future. I had to really meditate and pray for peace and stillness until it came. My mantra is; 'It is well, all good things will come to me'. 

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. 
Buddha

As a devotee of 'The Secret' aka The Law of Attraction, I know that my role is to fill my mind with what I want and to surrender the how - much more fun & infinitely more fruitful. One of my many wishes is to have a wildly successful blog so watch this space (and share it with everyone you know!) 

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
Psalm 147:4 

These cupcakes are paying homage to God, the Universe and all of Creation. They symbolise how much is out there for us to taste and enjoy. They were also an excuse to eat some old school sweets! Inside each cupcake, is a marshmallow which melted into the sponge during cooking, making it taste AMAZING even though you can't actually see it!

Enjoy

Peace, Love & Surrender
xx

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