I think it's funny that an food author would call his book 'Baked'.
Why? You ask...
Honestly, what's the first thing you think of?  I would half expect to see a few recipes suggesting that the butter or oil be cooked together with some 'herbs' before adding to the cookies or brownies.
Alas, no such recipe exists in this book.  I bought it.  I looked.
I have some strong opinions regarding the legalisation of said 'herbs' for various reasons which I won't get into just now.  Suffice it to say that I really don't think it's a big deal and that I would definitely consider baking with 'herbs' - I wonder if I could post that recipe?  A time and place for everything... does that make me the consummate hippie... whatever, I can handle it.


So although the book didn't contain recipes with 'herbs' it did have plenty of recipes with chocolate.  Not just chocolate though which is even better.  I definitely appreciate chocolate but I have to admit that I'm moving away from it a little as my dessert of choice, well honestly I'm moving away from desserts in general.  Chocolate though can be a little overdone and even badly done.
This cake turned out surprisingly well.  I would recommend setting the iced cake in the fridge for a bit though if you want to dig in the same day.  Also, we all agreed that it tasted better the next day.  Definitely worth it though and very easy.
Baked (giggle) does have a rather nice collection of baking and I'm looking forward to trying out more of these recipes.  The Buckeyes that I posted earlier in the year were also from this book.  Ugh... those damn buckeyes.  I can still remember trying to dip those stupid things without them dropping into the melted chocolate and kids smeared with chocolate and smiles... ugh!  Arguably, if I had been baked it would have made the whole situation very funny and might have caused me to consider making them again sometime...




Sunday Night Cake
adapted only slightly from Baked Explorations (which unfortunately has nothing to do with pot)

Cake:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Icing:
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 cup boiling water
3 oz good quality unsweetened chocolate chunks
6 tbsp (3/8 ths of a cup) unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line or grease and flour a 9 inch square pan and set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
Beat together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Add the flour alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.
Pour the batter into the square pan and bake for about 35 minutes (just under in my oven) or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.


Icing:
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder in a heavy bottomed saucepan.  Add in the chopped chocolate and pour the boiling water over everything.  Let it sit for about 30 seconds or so and then whisk until everything gets all melted.
Turn on the heat to medium or so and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes or until the stuff begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat and whisk or beat vigorously until the steam escapes and it's room temperature.  Add in the butter and continue beating/whisking for another 3 minutes or so (longer if you want it fluffier).
Frost the top of the cooled cake and chill for a few minutes to set the frosting.