“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
Let’s twist Shakespeare a bit to begin with…: ‘What’s in a gift? That which we choose for one occasion, could be replaced by another as sweet.’
With a wince, I admit its not as pithy as that quote of Avon’s bard, but a mere shred of hubris. I hope my take on those lines will not fall as Icarian waste into the sea, but at least flit about on waxen wings near terra firma. Having said that, let me point out that I aspired to create a gift from the heart that would soar towards caelum celesta. So a moist, dark, intense, heady chocolate cupcake it was, in lieu of a rose on Valentine’s Day. Not gifted to me, but baked by yours truly for her valentines at home.
It was a recipe I had discovered while googling for an eggless, dairy-free, and nut-free cake a while ago. As always, I wasn’t happy with the original and so sat about tweaking it, adding and removing some.
I present to you that chocolate dome with its chin upright, bursting earnestly out of its paper skirt, rising up on tip-toe to kiss an unsuspecting valentine on the lips. A swoon-worthy cocoa kiss.
Cocoa Smooches (makes 12 cupcakes or 1 8*8 cake)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 175 degrees C). Pop the paper cups into a lightly greased muffin pan, or grease, flour, and line a standard square cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup brown sugar (or white, if you've run out of brown), 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter/ margarine, if you like), 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking lightly, and moistening the whole with 1 cup cold water. Ladle the thick batter into the waiting paper cups or pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool and consume.
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
- ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (II, ii, 1-2)
Let’s twist Shakespeare a bit to begin with…: ‘What’s in a gift? That which we choose for one occasion, could be replaced by another as sweet.’
With a wince, I admit its not as pithy as that quote of Avon’s bard, but a mere shred of hubris. I hope my take on those lines will not fall as Icarian waste into the sea, but at least flit about on waxen wings near terra firma. Having said that, let me point out that I aspired to create a gift from the heart that would soar towards caelum celesta. So a moist, dark, intense, heady chocolate cupcake it was, in lieu of a rose on Valentine’s Day. Not gifted to me, but baked by yours truly for her valentines at home.
It was a recipe I had discovered while googling for an eggless, dairy-free, and nut-free cake a while ago. As always, I wasn’t happy with the original and so sat about tweaking it, adding and removing some.
I present to you that chocolate dome with its chin upright, bursting earnestly out of its paper skirt, rising up on tip-toe to kiss an unsuspecting valentine on the lips. A swoon-worthy cocoa kiss.
Cocoa Smooches (makes 12 cupcakes or 1 8*8 cake)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or 175 degrees C). Pop the paper cups into a lightly greased muffin pan, or grease, flour, and line a standard square cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup brown sugar (or white, if you've run out of brown), 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter/ margarine, if you like), 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking lightly, and moistening the whole with 1 cup cold water. Ladle the thick batter into the waiting paper cups or pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool and consume.
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