Chocolate Cake

This is my 'go to' chocolate cake recipe for cake pops, it makes a big cake which will easily yield 50 x 25 gram cake balls. I also like to flavor it with either orange essence or peppermint is nice as well, adding the essence when I put the vanilla in.

I make a chocolate cream cheese frosting with this to make cake pops.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (250 grams) butter, at room temperature 

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and flour a 9-by-13 inch cake pan.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed sugar and butter, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, alternating with the milk in two additions. (You'll begin and end with the flour mixture.)

Spread the batter (it will be thick) evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Primary presentation 2013

You know how every year when the primary presentation is on there's that one kid. The one the can't sit still, that climbs all over the stand, and hogs the microphone. You know the one I'm talking about?

It was mine! yup, my Mathias that kept trying to sneak the microphone back to his lips, that kept throwing one hand up as high as he could to give a 'thumbs up' to Kerry and I sitting all the way near the back.

I was so stressed out that day that I couldn't see the funny side. I was embarrassed by his behaviour. Then a day later I was embarrassed at myself. For not seeing and cherishing my son for his fun and larger than life energy.

It's hard. sometimes we clash he and I. But I do love him. Just the way he is.

Mathias and Taylah-benet before their Primary Presentation 2013

The great escape

Carter learnt to quickly and efficiently climbe out of is cot! There is no keeping him in there now! No putting him straight down to have a sleep and walking away, because he'll just climb right on outta there! 

So, Now I have to sit on my bed and watch him in his cot until he falls asleep! This could take 5 minutes if I'm lucky, or 30 minutes.

The other down side to this new found talet of his, is that as soon as he stirs or opens his eyes, he just gets out! Instead of just maybe going back to sleep for a little bit longer.

The icing on this cake you ask? 

I was dog gone tired last night and crawled into bed at 12.30am. At 3.30am I was woken, to the sound of Carter. Mason. Cole. Calling out to me. Where was he? Why at the front door of course, why on earth would he still be in his cot and 3.30am!?

So I had force myself to stay awake long enough until he'd gone back to sleep.

And then both my boys were up at 7am

Gratitude Journaling

Water! to play. to watch my kids play. putting my feet in on a hot day like today. {today i took the boys to play with Lygy and Delilah}

Smothering. I absolutely love that my kids let me shower them with hugs and kisses {even in public}. I hold Taylah-benet tight before she gets out of the car every morning for school, kiss her about a dozen times and watch her walk into school.

Misplacing my cookbook. I planned to make macaroni cheese for myself and the kids tonight and I couldn't find my Edmonds cookbook. So I went onto the Thermomix recipe community web site, searched and found a super easy recipe for macaroni cheese with just four ingredience macaroni, water, milk and cheese! I will never {knock on wood} buy Kraft's microwave Easy Mac again!! and it only took about 15 mins.

Airconditioning. today was hot! enough said.

Mobile phones. my husband has gone away for work which sucks. but at least we can still talk on the phone.

M.I.A {missing. in. action}

I've been totally out of blogging the last couple of months and I have thought about 'why' this is, often. I could say I have been busy, but... I'm always busy! {I'm a firm believer we 'make' time for the things we need or want to do/get done!} I think the reason is because of struggle.

This year has been a struggle financially and it hasn't eased up yet! I'm not going to bore you with the details, instead tell you we survive. More than that really, but we couldn't do it without the overflow of love and support from certain people {that's you mum!} It's tough, it's humbling, it's a lesson.

On to brighter subjects, my kids are just perfect. Taylah-benet has settled into her class so well she has friends! Mathias is busting at the seams to start school already! and I'm a little excited for that too! and Carter Mason Cole is approaching those terrible two's. He is super stubborn, cheeky but will melt my heart with one flash of his smile and in that moment all his terrorising is forgiven.

Christmas is sneaking up on us again and all my hopes to be prepared and organised have been lost!