Yesterday was my birthday and I am stuffed slap full of cake. One cake is normally enough for any birthday, but I lucked out and got two. On Sunday, my kind husband made me a Mississippi Mud cake, thanks to a recipe from my old college roommate (thanks Carissa). He also made a big pot of chili and some cornbread to go with it. We ate dessert first. Just kidding.
Today at work I walked in my office and there on my desk sat a delightful strawberry cake that looked very similar to the one above. We have a cake lady in town named Joretta who makes the best cakes you ever put in your mouth. Everything from key-lime to orange/pineapple to hershey bar and beyond. Today was strawberry day. That was the one cake of hers we had never had so I requested it. That's one advantage of working at the Randolph Co. Farm Bureau. When your birthday rolls around, you get to request your favorite Joretta cake. My Lord and My God. It was amazing. Between the two cakes, I have committed straight-out gluttony, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
I am now 44 yrs. of age although my husband and son like to say I'm 45. They do it just to push my buttons. Normally I wouldn't be so touchy about my age, but when you've officially hit your mid-40's you suddenly want time to slow down. I'm not sure where the past 20 years went exactly. In my mind, I will forever be 24. That was the year I got married and officially became a woman. My mama used to always tell me "the older you get, the faster time flies" and I believe her.
I was greatly encouraged at book-club the other night when an older, retired lady told us the older you get, the less you fear death. I hope that's true. Not that I fear death, in and of itself, just the manner in which I might die and the age I'll be when it happens. Everybody expects to live to a ripe old age and see their grandchildren grow up. My husband and I have always said we want to grow old together so we can sit on the front porch and rock, sipping on iced tea (except I don't like iced tea so it'll have to be ice water I suppose) and reflecting on our lives together. One day I shall have a house with a wrap-around porch. At least that's my dream anyway.
I guess now that my birthday is officially over I need to get back on the wagon and start focusing on losing this weight that's saddled itself around my mid-section. If I could just take a knife and hack off my loose skin I would lose 30 lbs. immediately. Or maybe I should just join Weight Watchers. Less risk for death that way. I still think they're the best thing going because they teach you how to eat sensibly while using moderation. And isn't that really the key to weight-loss anyway? Lord knows stuffing two cakes down your gullet in the space of two days isn't gonna help matters. And no, I didn't eat two whole cakes, but I definitely put a dent in them. It's a good thing birthdays only come round once a year.
Oh, here's the Mississippi Mud recipe:
Cake:
Frosting:
Place pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. or until toasted. Micorwave 1 C butter and semisweet chocolate in a large microwave safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 min. or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Whisk sugar and next 5 ingredients into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into a greased sheet cake pan. Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with marshmallows; bake 8-10 more min. or until golden brown. Drizzle warm cake with chocolate frosting, and sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans.To make frosting, stir together first 3 ingredients in a med. saucepan over med. heat until butter is melted. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Beat in powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla at med. -high speed until smooth.
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