Tomorrow is the big Fourth of July Fireworks and Waterslide-palooza at church and I decided that instead of entering the home-made ice cream contest (which incidentially I have never won) that I would make a cake to go with all the delicious not-made-by-me ice cream.

So, I just made Lucy Buffett's chocolate pound cake with mocha glaze, sort of. I now know that the reason nothing I make ever turns out the same twice is because I have to change SOMETHING every time!

Picture this. I have everything out on the counter, the kitchenaid is working hard at whipping up the shortening, butter, lard, and sugar. Yes, shortening, lard, and sugar. The shortening and butter were in the recipe, but I bought that lard and I just put a teaspoon in there to be bad. It will probably be what makes it over the top. When it came time to add the cocoa powder, it said only 3 heaping TEASPOONS.
My thought was, " Surely that is a mis-print, 'cause this stuff looks anemic." I dumped in two more tablespoons. The vanilla was only one tsp. Mama put in two. Then I started thinking I might have over done the cocoa and it might be a little bitter, so I put in some more sugar. I hope no one dies from this cake.

The glaze was a whole 'nother matter. The recipe wanted more cocoa powder. I was feeling Baker's chocolate bars. It said hot coffee. I thought espresso powder dissolved in real espresso. The Baker's chocolate,espresso glaze is good enough to just drink it like it is.

Anxiety is running high right now because the cake is in the oven now, in the kamikaze bundt pan. I have had the pan for 13 years - bought it just after I got married. These days, it is a total crapshoot to use it. Sometimes, the cake comes out perfect. Other times, half it decides to never leave the pan. I am hopeful that this time it will decide to act right and let the cake go so that we can have something lovely to take to the festivities tomorrow.

Oh and did I mention that my oven has to be set 20 degrees lower than whatever the recipe says because if not it will be charred on the bottom? See what I say about crapshoot? Oh well, if it does turn out, you will have pictures and recipe tomorrow, if it isn't what I think it should be, there will be a chocolate trifle of some sort for work Monday.