Otters in the Wild!
Must Love Otters celebrates her release today. Links within! We hope you enjoy.
Amazon.ca (for Canadian book nuts)
Amazon.co.uk (for those across the pond!)
Otters is also supposed to be available for Sony and Samsung devices. Please let me know if you cannot find your preferred e-book and we’ll look into it.
Please also consider signing up for our newsletter for twice-monthly dispatches!
NO CELEBRATION would be complete without CAKE! Drumroll, please …
The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {Ever}
From Add A Pinch Cooking
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Chocolate Cake with decadent Chocolate Frosting
Author: Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Serves: 12
[Unless you live in MY house, and then you might want to wear protective gear to dessert! I have stabby forks!]
Photo copyright AddAPinch
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate frosting
- 1½ cups butter (3 sticks), softened
- 1 cup cocoa
- 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
For the cake:
- Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
- Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
- Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
- Frost cake with Chocolate Frosting.
For the chocolate frosting:
- Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.
- Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well-combined.
- Add sugar and milk to cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of sugar followed by about a tablespoon of milk. After each addition has been combined, turn mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and milk have been added.
- Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.
- If frosting appears too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears to wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Let us know how it turns out — or, make a cake of your OWN design and send the recipe on over. We’ll feature it in upcoming delicious posts!
Once Upon Eliza 
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