There is something soothing about being surrounded by the written word--by print and pictures that cannot be easily deleted, that cannot disappear in an ever increasing feed.
Many of the words that surround me have been labored over--meticulously chosen and placed in a position that houses them perfectly, that envelops them with surrounding adjectives and verbs and nouns.
As a writer, I look forward to the day that more of my work will be printed in a tangible form. I want to trace my finger across the page and know that the words I wrote were worth preserving.
Last night, as I wrote and sipped on my tea, I looked at all the people around me. Each of them was lost in a world created by another human's hands. I could see the authors and the writers of these works toiling away in their bedrooms, their coffee shops, their offices. Each of them striving and breaking to produce a piece of writing worth sharing. If only they could see these people now...many of them with smiles and furrowed brows and that unmistakable look of solitary pleasure.
This is why I write, I thought, and then I proceeded to finish my tea.
I stumbled upon this book with my dear friend, Abby, a few months ago, and I've been happy with so many of the recipes that are contained in its beautifully produced pages.
This cake could easily be served at breakfast or as a late afternoon snack. I prefer my slice with a strong cup of coffee...but as a graduate student, this is almost always my drink of choice.
I made an 8x8 inch cake and then 12 cupcakes. The original recipe calls for the cake to be baked in a 13x9 inch pan. So feel free to do either option (but cupcakes are always more fun!)
Cake:
8 ounces milk chocolate chips
1/2 tsp bourbon
1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Frosting:
5 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
5 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a 13x9 inch baking pan. Heat 1 and 1/4 cup water to boiling.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and toss with 2 TBSP flour (this will prevent them from sinking in the batter). Place the butter and the oats in a large bowl and pour boiling water over top. Allow to sit for 30 seconds before stirring until butter has melted. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
3. In a sepertae bowl, whisk together your eggs, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Fold in the cooled oatmeal mixture and stir until well-combined. Gently fold in the remaining flour and then the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Allow the cake to cool on a wired rack for at least 30 minutes.
5. To make frosting: cream together the butter and the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and the vanilla and beat until smooth. Refrigerate frosting for 30 minutes before using. Spread over cooled cake.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores