OMG you guys, guess what? Rabbit is turning ONE this weekend. Rabbit, of course, has no idea and probably couldn't care less about his date of birth. However, it has always been a fantasy of mine to throw myself a party when my child turns one, and now Rabbit's daddy and I will get the opportunity to make my dreams come true.
We wanted to share this grand occasion with all of our friends and family, but our apartment is just a wee little thing. So we sent out invitations last minute. It's also Easter and Passover this weekend, so the chances that our friends are otherwise occupied are quite great. This is good, because we only have five chairs in our abode. However, we would still like to please our guests, which is why we intend to bake The Cake of Dreams That Are Coming True. This cake is moist in all the right ways.
Bunny Rue's Chocolate Cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream (aka The Cake of Dreams That Are Coming True) 2 cups white sugar 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water 1 cup of heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons bourbon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons white sugar Raspberries (for garnish) For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If you're not using a nonstick pan, grease and flour your cake pan(s). I use a 9" by 14" pan. You can also use two 9" round pans. Or you can make cupcakes! In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt. Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla, and mix with a mixer on medium for two minutes. Stir in the boiling water last. Your mixture will look way too watery to yield a cake, but fear not: baking is magic. Pour this watery liquid that looks nothing like cake batter into your pan(s). Bake 30-35 minutes (test it for done-ness by sticking it with a fork or a knife or a toothpick or whatever you use to test your cakes). Let it cool off for a bit, and then take it out of the pan and let it cool off some more. For the bourbon whipped cream: Put the sugar, vanilla extract, bourbon and heavy cream into a mixing bowl. Mix it (beat it? whisk it? Do whatever one does with a mixer. Or do it by hand if you wish - but who wishes to do that? Not me.) on medium until soft peaks form. Don't overdo it, you're going for soft pillow-y goodness here. Put it all together: Slice up your cake. Put many dollops of bourbon whipped cream on each slice. Drop some raspberries on top. You are ready to fulfill your dreams now, by putting them in your belly.