onepinkfuzzy: Chocolate Cake

It's like there's a giant buffet set out in front of you. Tantalizing foods as far as the eye can see; so many choices. There's vibrant fruit in every hue of the rainbow, vegetables glistening in an array of sauces and butter and oil, grilled corn on the cob, charred meat, fried tofu - and desserts. Oh! The desserts! Mr. Polka-Dotted Bathtub as chocolate cake. Deep, dark, buttery, rich, indulgent, decadent, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake, just waiting for you. You take a bite and the exquisite flavor fills yours senses, blocking out any other sensations you may be feeling. It slides down your throat as you emit a moan. Oh, the chocolate cake.

It's so tempting. But you wake up the next morning, and your stomach is queasy, too full of rich ingredients. You approach the buffet again, and again you are drawn to the chocolate cake. You try to resist. You put your foot down. You won't do it! But you can't stop yourself from reaching for it, indulging in it, fully submerging your senses in it.

You spend the next few days wandering around in a daze, agonizing over when you taste the chocolate cake again. Your friends remind you that you can't live on chocolate cake alone; it's unhealthy. It's loaded with ingredients that clog your arteries, hurt your digestive system and cause you stomach upset. You know that. You are fully aware of that. But the next time you approach the buffet, you only have eyes for the chocolate cake.

No! Don't do it! Don't reach for it! You've decided you will be strong. You tell that chocolate cake you won't partake! You can't! It'll hurt too much in the morning!

You stay strong for three days. Three days of no chocolate cake. Then you reach out, inhale deeply and savor the idea of chocolate cake. You pick up the plate, and spend time just admiring the glistening frosting. Your mouth waters, your tummy quivers, your brain shuts out everything else. You are focused on that chocolate cake.

But you put it back down and go home and lay on your bed. You are wishing you had the cake so much you reach for your phone and send a text: "I am wishing you were at my door. I'd let you in tonight, you know. I'd so let you in." But the chocolate cake stays put.

The next morning, you wake up early, grateful that you didn't eat the chocolate cake, ready to get up and go to the gym and take care of yourself. Your tummy is balanced, your body is strong, your mind is at peace. You have renewed determination to not let your body overcome your mind and tempt you to dive into the chocolate cake.

Besides, there's a cute runner who has caught your eye...what will he turn out to be on the buffet?

Comments

I think all this "self" had discovered a great writer. I find myself searching for similar thing about my life, and right now failing. Can you help me to name what is that I am eating (or not)?
:)

Posted by: olga | September 28, 2006 08:02 AM

Wow - what an amazing analogy, and I agree with Olga - very well-written. After all the struggle to resist temptation, it makes you wonder - Instead of what you can't or shouldn't have, what other options might be out there?

Posted by: Ginger Breadman | September 28, 2006 01:20 PM

:) How true! I'm in the middle of eating chocolate cake...if I stop now, will there just be more cake waiting for me around the corner? When will my balanced meal come?

Posted by: Brad | September 28, 2006 02:21 PM

Hmmm...I'm starting to get the impression that maybe we're not talking about actual cake here. Darn! I was hoping for a recipe at the end of the post ;-)

Posted by: Steve | September 28, 2006 03:57 PM

Honey, it's not good to get me craving "chocolate cake" when my husband is gone for 7 months!!

Stay Strong.

Posted by: jkrunning | September 28, 2006 05:57 PM

In case anyone was craving ACTUAL cake after that post, here's a very nice recipe that I had the chance the try recently.

Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

ACTIVE TIME: 1 HR
TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS
MAKES ONE 8-INCH THREE-LAYER CAKE

CAKE
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup hot coffee
FILLING AND FROSTING
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water

directions
MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 325°. Line the
bottoms of three 8-inch round cake pans with rounds of
parchment paper. Spray the pans and the parchment
paper with vegetable cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar with the flour, cocoa
powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a
small bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs and
vanilla. In another small bowl, melt the butter in the
hot coffee. Using an electric mixer, beat half of the
buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients at low
speed. Beat in half of the coffee mixture, then scrape
down the bowl. Beat in the remaining buttermilk and
coffee mixtures.
Pour the batter evenly between the prepared pans and
bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway
through baking, until the cakes are springy to the
touch. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes,
then turn the cakes out onto a rack to cool
completely. Peel off the parchment paper.
MEANWHILE, MAKE THE FILLING AND FROSTING: Put the
chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring
the cream and corn syrup to a boil. Immediately pour
over the chocolate and let stand in a warm place for 5
minutes. Gently whisk the ganache until smooth. Whisk
in the butter until incorporated. Refrigerate,
stirring frequently, until the ganache is thick enough
to spread, about 30 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar with the
water and heat for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve the
sugar. Set a cake layer on a cake plate or cake
cardboard and brush lightly with the sugar syrup.
Spread about 3/4 cup of the frosting onto the cake in
an even 1/4-inch layer. Repeat with the remaining cake
layers, sugar syrup and frosting. Spread the remaining
frosting around the sides of the cake. Let the cake
stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before
slicing.
MAKE AHEAD The cake will stay fresh in the
refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room
temperature before slicing.

Posted by: Kiera | September 28, 2006 06:29 PM

Very nice analogy! I can feel the emotion throughout the post.

Posted by: Denise "Firefly" | September 28, 2006 06:38 PM

ahh ... such self control. Inspirational.

Posted by: Phil | September 28, 2006 09:17 PM

I'll never be able to just innocently look at a chocolate cake ever again.

Posted by: Thomas | September 29, 2006 03:29 AM

Chocolate cake gets stale and dries out quickly.

Maybe that cute runner will turn out to be the chef.

Then you can have your cake and eat it too...

Posted by: Josh | September 29, 2006 06:11 AM

Good grief, did you have to use chocolate cake? Look what you started! LOL

Although sugar is sweet and lovely to eat
It love that will thrive
and keep you alive!!!

chocolate is always fun to eat.. but too much of it and it just gets blahhhhhh.

Posted by: christina | September 29, 2006 07:47 AM

we'll all be waiting for the next post: makin' cake... :-)
you have wonderful creativity angie. by the way, i also enjoyed your article on the sugar and spice on ultrarunning september.
you rock!

Posted by: nattie | September 29, 2006 08:13 AM

I've always been partial to ice cream...but the cake... Sometimes it's just better to be strong...

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