Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Best Chocolate Cake I ever Made in 40 yrs.



You will rarely hear me say the best..of..as there are too many bests:)  But when my daughter told me about this cake she recently made..I..who am married to a chocolate cake lover..thought:  "Try it!"..
And so I did..and I have many favorite chocolate cake recipes I have amassed over the last 40 yrs..
But this one takes "le cake":)
For the texture..taste..and ease..
You can find and print the recipe here..Sooooo gooood♥

It's from Ina~I enjoy her so much~
And my daughter..I really enjoy her so much:)
and me..
to you~
Make it..you will see♥





Not the one to the left~ That's a felt pastry~ I think they would make cute Christmas ornaments for the bakers you know~
I will make the cake again..and again..and try and get a post worthy photo all unto it's own..but it's summertime..and the plants are more pressing:-)
I groomed the beds within an inch of their lives yesterday~ Cut back all the Forget Me nots..that's always a passsage of time chore..

In the garden ...poppy season is almost done..some petals fell yesterday..



These salmon ones are my favorites in the larger ones..the bright oranges and reds don't seem to last as long as these..




Take the time to peek into poppies if you can..they are one of the miracles I mentioned..


Exquisite creations..don't you think?

I took out my Windsor Newtons..


I still remember when they looked this new:)
and painted a journal page or two..
The most unsightly poppy appeared..yet I took such pleasure  in doing them..The uncanny part is that I found a small feather.. with a salmon tip ..right after I painted it..so I added it to the journal..
This is a painting I would pull out of a journal in the past.but I have decided to leave the errors in also..or else how will I learn.I picked it..cinged the stem and ket it in a short stout vase..it opened like a pancake:(Sounds like I am blaming the poppy..t's not her fault:)



Influenced by Sara's Midda's book... the second one now..I can be a bit compulsive when it comes to book love..blog love..garden love..recipe love..
Love..love:-)



It's a wonder of a book.. on Pinterest..they showed how to make gift tags with trying to do the lines of her book..it works..I dedicated my Tag to Paris Breakfasts Carol as she is the one that alerted me to this second book of Sara's I now have the pleasure of having here.




Another very good idea gleaned from Carol..I took out my watercolor sets and painted individual swatch cards to keep in the boxes..this gives me a much better idea of what the colors actually look like..



I have ordered a small set from England in a tin box and am excited for them..I do recommend a box I have for travel...that is very affordable in the USA at various places..
The Koi travel box w/ integrated brush..I plan on getting another for Max for Christmas..next time I visit the USA.

The small Cotman is genius too..and colors brilliant..I've not yet bought one with the water reservoir incorporated..I would perhaps covet that next:-) The Koi..has the magic brush..we all have favorites..the large Koi brush is a travel..backyard coup de coeur.


And if you love poppies as much as I do..you can download this poppy wrapping kit..I enjoyed wrapping a gift for a friend with it~All her free downloads are beautiful~Elli~

Enjoy..



I don't have any other  posts prepped..  so I'll say it now..
Posting it early for Bloglovin..would hate to stop seeing some of you and I understand it has to be done..?
Bon Weekend~


37 comments:

  1. What a lovely post! It's much more than just about the cake. Of course, I must take your advice and pass Ina's recipe to The Baker!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. I want to bake that cake so bad, we love chocolate cake in the house and I always try new recipes. Thanks for the flowers pictures.

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  3. If you say it is the best chocolate cake ever...that is saying something. Charming post. :)

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  4. Oh, mon ami, you're going to drive me to start painting again (Or rather, draw).
    I may draw poppies, or a chocolate cake. Or both.
    Thank you for feeding all the senses!

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  5. As a choholic and lover of chocolate cake I must try out the recipe -- thanks for sharing the link. Your photos are gorgeous, but of course that's always the case.

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  6. I love your sketchbook page and the poppies are so pretty. I have that Sara Midda book too, I love her style.
    Like someone else said, thank you for feeding all of the senses, it's all so pretty.
    Jenni

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  7. Thank you:-)
    I hope you will let me know if you bake the cake:-)
    Sol..yes do..:-)
    Jenni..you inspired me too:-)
    Let's hope The Baker agrees Bonnie..
    Helene tu ne manques pas ton coup avec cette recette:-)

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  8. I'm making a date with the chocolate cake. I will make it soon. The poppy art is so pretty. The gift wrap is sweet too.

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  9. Oohlala...I have made that cake many times...it is a winner!
    Very much like the Hersheys Chocolate cake...but that has hot water instead of coffee...a fabulous cake. Makes great cupcakes too!
    I love your poppies...i need to plant some for next year...I have always loved them.
    I still have to christen my new paints...this weekend I hope.
    You are my inspiration!
    Bisous!
    L xo

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  10. Beautiful! We love chocolate cake, so will be making this one. Love seeing your pretty journal. ;-)

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  11. I wish I could try that cake right now... Pretty poppies. The pink ones are so delicate and amazing looking.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  12. Love the watercolor page and travel box! :)
    xoxo

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  13. Monique, our last bloom is on our poppies, same colour as yours. I love them. I did not know they closed up at night. I discovered that this year. Life, we are always learning new things. I Love Ina's recipes too. It is hard to take a good photo of anything chocolate I have discovered. Love the water colours, love it all. You are a treasure to me. Each time I visit it is like opening a gift and I am just as excited! Happy First day of Summer! xxoo

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  14. PS- I have that same book! Great minds and all that . . .

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  15. Bonjour ~
    Le gâteau au chocolat l'a l'air délicieux, et surtout, gourmand. C'est ce qu'il faut.
    Et que dire de l'emballage cadeau en coquelicot, c'est tout simplement délicate et superbe.

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  16. Oh why do I get your posts a day late..?
    But maybe not..I'm toying with buying a small watercolor I saw by chance here and you could push me over the edge!
    LOVE your watercolor!
    Divine and sooo you.
    And I'm bookmarking the recipe. If you say it's the best is has to be the BEST and ill have a proper kitchen in my next, new place! So who knows? Monique's choc cake here I come.
    So glad you're enjoying Sara's book..another BEST.
    Your flowers look divine and worthy of painting for sure.
    Bravo all around.
    XCarolg

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  17. PS the stripped tag is 2-die-for!
    Big Merci for the mention

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  18. It's always so satisfying when you find the perfect recipe. Especially fro something as delicious as chocolate cake!

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  19. And to say some people don't yet know the pleasure of blogging:)x!
    Linda..you're always steps ahead of me for the best recipes..you're a real cook and baker:)

    Marie..I rerember when you were visiting your mom..:) She would have liked this one.
    Carol I have at least one other art book on my wishlist because of you..soon:)

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  20. What a refreshing post! That cake is to die for ...I so love Ina too!
    Lots of comfort food needed here in MY winter :(
    will try it out..
    your poppies are magnificent as are your watercolours...
    I have it figured out as per my email to you my friend... a journal and maybe try my hand at watercolours in that journal too..
    Take care and have a wonderful summery weekend
    Shel x

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  21. Just have to stress again how beautiful your garden is Monique..
    I'm looking at your peopnies right now....and dreaming xx

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  22. :)
    I agree try watercolors:)
    And a journal:)
    I am looking forward to an update:)
    Rx for many things.As the garden..and baking..and small people:)

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  23. Just yesterday I told Hubby that I would bake him a chocolate cake - he LOVES chocolate too! New recipe came just in time.
    Must try my hand at making the striped tags - really cute. Good bookmark for Sara M's South of France.
    Re Gardening, my plumeria (sp?)just bloomed - gorgeous. Have received some pop-up afternoon showers which has cooled us off a bit plus my trees and flowers seem happier:)
    Judy/Tex

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  24. I love PLUMERIA..lucky southern girl that you are..So nice the showers came.. last summer our gardens were forlorn in August..even July come to think of it..
    Try this one Judy..You know..you can make half..in one round pan.. when cool cut in 2.. then place one on the other.:)Not horizontally..you know what I mean..to make 2 half moons:)
    It's a shame to leave this cake one layer..it is so nicely decadent with the icing in the middle also..
    So halve and stack:)
    I hope you will agree with my daughter's family..Linda and I..especially Jacques.
    I take a bite to make sure it's edible.That's it:)
    This cake could turn me into a sweet and chocolate lover..thank goodness no chance of that happening:)

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  25. I thought I had the best chocolate cake recipe but now I have to try this one. I'm sure if it's Ina's, it's great! Have a wonderful weekend Monique!

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  26. I love your post today, Monique. You have an eye for seeing the beauty in everything, and capturing it with your Windsor Newtons. The beautiful pink poppies are my favorites too. They remind me of my grandmother. She must have worn something that color that sticks in my mind. Of course I had to print the cake recipe. Who could resist your recommendation.

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  27. Beautiful Poppy Pictures. I wish I had Poppies to photograph so I could paint them! I love Sara's book too. I have that one.

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  28. If you say this is the best ever I will be making this cake! I love the little felt in one but real cake has no substitute :).

    My poppies are almost done too - I took photos of the last purple one today. They are the glam models of the garden :).

    Can you believe it's summer already? We had our first very warm weekend and rain keeps coming!

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  29. I love your art! Can't believe how many talents you have, such a fun person.
    I LOVE poppies and that peach color is so very pretty.
    Yes, there sure are lots of really good chocolate cake recipes.
    Thank goodness, right? :)

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  30. Poppies are one of my favorite plants/flowers, your live ones and painted impressions are gorgeous!

    Waiting for you to publish your book of painting and photos Mme. M. We'll all be in line for that. Yes!

    xo~m.

    W & N Artists colors are the BEST, in my humble opinion. I like to keep a small set, unopened... it makes my heart happy to look at them. They are like little gifts to be treasured until needed. :)

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  31. Mary ..it makes me happy to look at paint sets too:)Your opinion is not humble..
    I'm not really fun:)I guess I try and make my own..
    I'd like to be fun:)
    Oh you all have great choco recipes..This one just sturck a chord..Jacques said always make a whole one..That says it all Susan..
    Total glams in the garden.

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  32. I don't make nearly enough chocolate cake as I get my chocolate fix from truffles... one or 2 a day keeps me happy. Can't wait to try a cake you recommend so highly... wow that's a recommendation!

    Lovely poppies, btw!

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  33. I love your watercolors, they are great inspiration to me, I just like to open my box of watercolors and start painting-) I used to do illustrations too-))

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