I live on a farm …

Chocolate. Coffee. Whiskey.

Remember seeing photos of the cookies I make with chocolate, coffee, and whiskey (among other things) in the ingredients? I love making those cookies at the holidays and sending a dozen each to various family members and some friends. I love photographing them also, because they look so scrumptious and photograph so beautifully. Sometimes I make a second round of them at Valentine’s Day, adding a drop or two of red food coloring to make the icing pink and again, send them out a dozen apiece to family who I sorely miss.

What makes me sad, however, is that I had to promise my friend not to share the recipe. I can use the recipe, which I acquired while filling in for her baking talent in fund raising event for our church. She entrusted me with the “secret” recipe, and I had to promise not to pass it around because she likes to keep it reserved for fund raising efforts.

Before my son came back to the farm for the holidays, I was searching for some things online and I came across a cake recipe that also featured chocolate, coffee, and whiskey and thought it would be awesome to give that a try while my son was out. I tweaked the recipe a bit to suit my particular tastes and baking preferences, and … oh, my goodness!

The cake baked up beautifully, oh so beautifully. It was so dark it was almost black inside. I made it with super strong coffee and dark cocoa powder and lots of love. I think the “love” factor gave the cake an incredible crust, and we are big time crust lovers on this farm.

The good news is, this is a recipe I can share … go get out your grocery list and start writing down ingredients. Well, ah, that is after I say a thing or two about some business matters.

Both my son and I are having sales this week in our Etsy stores. He is offering free shipping on his wonderful authentic-looking, vintage inspired subway signs and bus scrolls. And remember, he can personalize them or make them totally custom from scratch to help commemorate a special time, place, or event in your life or the life of someone you want to give a completely awesome gift to. If you ever treat yourself (or someone else) to one of his custom signs you will be delighted, I can promise it.

There is something very touching about walking through a room and glancing at one of these signs hanging on the wall with the names of places you’ve been or lived in, happy places and times. It is like having a sign post there that tells you each time you glance at it, “Hi there, you were there, and there, and there, and there. And you were happy and it was great. Remember?” Pleasure moments get stirred up and continue walking, with a little bit of an extra smile playing on your lips and good feelings stirred up inside you.

I know this because he made one for me for my birthday last year that lists my favorite streets and neighborhoods where I lived, where he and his sister were born, where we lived together last in California, and now where we have landed in New York on this heavenly farm. That sign tells a certain story, very briefly just by calling out the street names or other identifying words.

So, treat yourself or someone you love to a set of signs from a city you love, or to a custom sign to commemorate a special time in their lives … and do it now so you get free shipping as well as a high quality product, thoughtful and artistic packaging, and a great customer service experience. He is, after all, my son. 🙂

If you want to take him up on this offer, use the word “POSTAGE” at checkout in his Etsy store here –> Flying Junction at Etsy.

By the way, my Knitter’s Eye Charts and Crocheter’s Eye Chart caught the attention of yet another magazine editor, this time it was Molly Makes, a UK based fiber crafter’s magazine that published thirteen times per year. If you haven’t ever seen their magazines, you really should treat yourself. You can subscribe, even if you are in the U.S. and I recommend doing so if you want a wonderful new source of inspiration on a regular basis.

Speaking of my various Eye Charts, now through this Friday at midnight I am offering BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE on my Knitter’s Eye Charts (or Crocheter’s Eye Charts) in my Etsy store. This applies to the 11×17 size (printed on 12″ x 18″ sheets), the 8″ x 10″ size (printed on 9″ x 12″ sheets), and even the sets of three. You can also apply this offer to the prints that read “If You Can Read This You Are Standing Too Close to My Stash”. Mix and match, it is all okay.

To take advantage of my BOGO, order your first prints or set of three then in the “Comments” section of the order form at Etsy, type the letters “BOGO” and tell what you want as your free print. The free print must be of equal or greater value to the one you pay for, of course. If you miss getting this into the Comments section of the order form, just send me a Convo through Etsy and take care of it there instead.

Remember, this offer is good from now until midnight (Easter Standard Time) this Friday, March 30, 2012. This is a private sale, so only people who read my blog or who are on my email list will find out about it.

Okay, now are you ready for that wonderful recipe? Here goes …

Dark. Chocolate. Coffee. Whiskey. Cake.

1 cup unsweetened, dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup whiskey
1 1/2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup mini dark chocolate or semi dark chocolate chips
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3 large eggs plus one egg white
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan, dust with 2 Tbsp cocoa powder.

Whisk coffee, whiskey, butter, and 3/4 cup cocoa powder together in a saucepan over low heat.  Whisk in sugars, then set aside to let cool.

In small bowl, toss chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp cocoa powder.

Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and cloves in a mixing bowl.  Whisk eggs, egg white, and vanilla into cooled coffee-chocolate mixture, then whisk in flour mixture. Fold cocoa dusted chocolate chips into batter.

(This cake batter is not thick like other cake batters, so don’t become alarmed about that.  It will cook up just fine.)

Pour batter into springform pan. Bake until toothpick comes out just slightly moist, about one hour.

Let cool, then dust with remaining 1 Tbsp cocoa powder before serving.  (You might want to dust some extra cocoa powder on top, that’s what I did — just suit your own taste.)

The cake has a wonderful crust the first day it is baked.  Sad to say, that crust goes away after it is covered and stored overnight.  But, not to worry … it tastes wonderful with or without the crust.  I think it would be devine to serve this cake in spring or summer with fresh strawberries on the side.

Well, my friend … I hope you have a great day.

~firefly