Patty's Cake

Whenever I bake, I seem to draw in a crowd. Sometimes it's friends, neighbors, most of the time it's my roommates who come into the kitchen drawn by the aroma of fresh baked bread. When I was younger, my mother (a mother of five) would bake gobs of pies, loaf after loaf of bread, and always an angel food cake for birthdays. On Sunday afternoon, her kitchen transformed into a baking factory and I was always there watching and learning. My mother was a master at bringing the family together into the kitchen, and this skill made me wonder about the beautiful power of baking.

Recently I read a quick novel about a woman who is changing her life with a move north, divorcing her husband, and quitting her high profile trophy wife job to become something more simple; a baker. Through the story she realizes that as her bread transforms, so is she. She starts to cultivate a life more real than she has ever known, with genuine friends and rekindled family relationships. Emphasizing the magic of baking, the woman in the story discovers the most delicious recipe for chocolate cake. It's called Patty's Cake, and when you make this, don't make it lightly - make it with flavor and love.

Ingredients

7 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened cooking chocolate
¼ c. butter
1 ½ c. strong coffee (when I want a stronger coffee flavor, I'll use 3 tbs. instant espresso mix)
¼ c bourbon
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. cake flour
1 ½ c. sugar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch loaf pans

2. Put the chocolate, butter, and coffee in a heavy saucepan with 4 ½ quart capacity. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, till chocolate is melted, then stir vigorously till mixture is smooth and thoroughly blended. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. Beat in bourbon, eggs, and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and beat into the chocolate mixture till well blended.

3. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake in a 275 degree oven 45 – 55 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraiche, or Espresso – Caramel Sauce.

*Bread Alone By Judith Ryan Hendricks