SUCH IS THE NATURE OF CAKE

I just couldn't fall all the way to sleep last night, notwithstanding my pretty extreme exhaustion. And then I am not really awake now although I have been working at it for a good two hours.

M just informed me that there was a frost last night. We lost the end of the mailbox morning glories and zinnias. Next week, daylight savings time ends. Stepping back into the darkness.

Days later ... I am not my writing self these past few days. I am other selves though. One self prepared for M's birthday by making a killer of a birthday cake. I used to be a solid baker, the one designated to bring the cakes to celebrations. I haven't had that position for many years, although, come to think of it, I did make some good cupcakes for one of the B's birthdays several years back. But that M, she likes her treats and she likes her chocolate, so, this being one of those significant birthdays, a cake, a chocolate cake she should have. 

After some recipe consolation with Ms. Iris, a baker of the first order, I settled on this, Dark Cocoa Buttermilk Cake with Cocoa Mascarpone Frosting. Highly recommended. Not too difficult although the recipe is not very well written (couldn't they just say "cream the butter and sugar"? We all know what that means, right?) but the results are utterly delicious. Forget about dieting. I think it is fattening to be around the ingredients. My week of reasonable exercise and eating blown in a single day. Ah, such is the nature of cake.

So, still working on Monsterwood submission deadline and tired tired tired. But I wanted to show off my beautiful cake.

Here's the sunset when we went to the birthday dinner at a Thai restaurant.