Nigella's Epic Chocolate Guinness Cake

I have been doing so much back to back travelling of late. As much as I loved it, I am so thrilled to be back in my Ohio nest, decorating, cooking, reading, photo-editing, etc. I have become such a homebody over the last few years. I think it comes from having a nice little nest to take care of and a nice Prof. Hubs with whom to do so.

Last week I had the pleasure of reuniting in Chicago with several good friends whom I hadn't seen in YEARS-it was a much needed friendfest and I am now so excited for my upcoming trips to Chicago (in better, warmer weather, hopefully!) to photograph their wedding.

I have several photography projects coming up that I am really excited about. Check out my photosite in the coming weeks (www.AriellePhoto.com) to keep up :)

Then there is the matter of the Chocolate Guinness cake. My friend Ana has been raving about this cake for months. Her recommendation was so glowing that I knew I had to find an occasion to make it. Yesterday that occasion presented itself in the form of an informal dinner. I was asked to bring a dessert. And I did. I brought this cake. AND IT WAS SO DELICIOUS I CANNOT EVEN KEEP FROM SHOUTING (text-shouting.)

I am very pleased to present a cake that has become an instant classic in our house. Not only will I be making it for upcoming birthdays, but I will also use this cream cheese frosting recipe for the rest of my cream cheese frosting making days. SO GOOD! I usually have problems with lumps in my cc frosting, even if I let the cc sit out over night, but this method was perfect and I hadn't even let the cc soften for more than an hour! Wonderful! You don't really taste the guinness in the cake-it just adds a nice depth of flavor, a "ferrousness" as Nigella says. It is the most lovely, moist, dense cake... You'll love it!

Chocolate Guinness Cake

by Nigella Lawson

Total time: about 1 hour

For the cake:
Butter for pan
1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup sour cream (I was out so I used 0% greek yogurt instead and it was great!)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the topping:
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (I only used 1 cup-it was perfect)
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature (I used Neufchâtel instead...better texture)
1/2 cup heavy cream.

1. For the cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, combine Guinness and butter. Place over medium-low heat until butter melts, then remove from heat. Add cocoa and superfine sugar, and whisk to blend.

2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add to Guinness mixture. Add flour and baking soda, and whisk again until smooth. Pour into buttered pan, and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to one hour. Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely in pan.

3. For the topping: Using a food processor, mix confectioners' sugar to break up lumps. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add heavy cream, and mix until smooth and spreadable.

4. Remove cake from pan and place on a platter or cake stand. Ice top of cake only, so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.

Yield: One 9-inch cake (12 servings).

Desperate Housediva | Boring Chair to Awesome Chair Makeover: Before & After

In the next installment in the Desperate Housediva goes DIY home-makeover chronicles, I share with you the before/after shots of my sad and sorry desk/living room chair which found new life after a quick restaining (using a stain pen. It literally took minutes) and reupholstering (who knew reupholstering chairs was so easy and satisfying!? I can't wait to do it to the kitchen chairs!)

So, the living room has been a bit of a problem area. We have quite a mix of furniture from various life stages (and craigslist purchases) and I had a difficult time figuring out a cohesive design plan. But then it hit me: I shouldn't work AROUND what I had, I should incorporate it into the design. If my design was all about white and blue, but my couch was huge and black, then something was off. Now, all is well. I'm not living in design fantasyland. I'm using what I have and making it awesome by throwing in a few new things.

The new design aesthetic includes the firebird fabric shown on the AFTER of the chair. The main colors are black and white with red and turquoise accents. I'm really excited to continue building the look in the room but the chair makeover was the first step. I just love this fabric.

If you are interested in how to do a chair makeover, click HERE.

Chair before:

Chair After:

Desperate Housediva | Ikea Dresser Decoupage and chair Makeovers: Before & After

As it's literally freeeezing out these days and I haven't the fortitude nor the wherewithal to face the frigid temps, I have been working on our Midwestia nest. The latest nesting projects I've taken up are the boring/ugly Ikea dresser I have in our room and a chair that lives in the living room that needed a serious makeover. Let's start with the dresser. It was your typical, white, boxy, boring Ikea dresser. Reliable enough, I suppose, but entirely without personality.

It never reflected my taste, it never felt like my own and it always stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the vintage-y bohemian style of the room. Hence the decoupage makeover.

Literally, like five year ago, my friend Meredith (who is an insanely talented singer/actress in addition to a truly inspired and creative decorator,) upon hearing me complain about said dresser, advised that I decoupage it and add pretty drawer pulls, thus making it my own. At the time that seemed like more work/commitment than I was up for. But the idea stuck in my head. And last week I finally did it.

Using some gorgeous decoupage paper from Cavallini (featuring vintage postcards written in French,) some ModPodge glue, and some Anthropologie-style vintage glass drawer pulls I remade this un-inspired piece of furniture into an ecclectic part of the room's vintage/bohemian aesthetic.

It may not be your style, but perhaps it can inspire your own decoupage adventures. Decoupage is really fast, easy (directions can be found HERE) and surprisingly fun and relaxing.

BEFORE

AFTER

Closeup of drawer pulls

Closeup of one of the vintage letters

Closeup of the photos of my late Grandparents in photos from the late '30's, early '40's that live on the dresser.

Perfectly perfect whole wheat pancakes (and part II of the Desperate Housediva's DIY home decor diaries)

As chronicled in my last entry, I have begun some DIY home decor projects over the past few weeks. I love the process of scouring the Internet for ideas/inspiration but at the same time I find it utterly overwhelming. So many color combinations! So many possibilities! But I feel a strange pressure; once I commit to an aesthetic then it is locked in (until I decide to do a decor overhaul...)

So that kind of stresses me out (I'm easily overwhelmed, apparently...) Not to mention the fact that my blue fabric wall was a total bust. It made the room look really small...and kind of college dorm-y. So that was a 'no.' But, not to be discouraged I am now on to new projects. I will soon be able to share my dresser decoupage before and after photos-love it! I'm just waiting on the pretty vintage glass drawer pulls...

After all of the stress of redecorating (I say this with a huge amount of sarcasm, as I realize most people wouldn't be stressed out...just me...because I'm a wimp...) I decided we needed some comforting food. Really comforting. Like pancakes. But still healthful and nutritious. And these pancakes were perfect. They are so delicious, so tender! And they come together practically instantaneously :) I love that!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

based on a recipe by Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com

2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleaced all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk (or 2 1/4 cups skim milk with 2 1/4 Tbsp white vinegar, left to sit for 10 minutes)
2 large eggs
butter for pan (and/or for serving)

Fresh Fruits, Organic Maple Syrup, Greek Yogurt, or whatever else floats your boat on delicious pancakes.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. Test for the right temperature. If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to dance, you are in the ballpark. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve with a golden pat of butter and plenty of berries and syrup.

Makes about 12 large pancakes, or dozens of silver-dollars - enough to feed a small crowd.

Dreaming of Pancakes

Desperate Housediva | Brass chandelier makeover Part I

Living in a rental space can be frustrating for many reasons. The more superficial of them being the lack of freedom to make big design changes. The space in which Prof. Hubs' and I live here in Midwestia has very little to recommend it, design-wise. It's a very boring layout, with white walls, and little to no charming architectural details. I think the best thing about the space's design is the large, exposed brick wall, and the worst would definitely be the tacky '70's brown kitchen cabinets and stove-ick!

I've lately found myself very interested in breathing new life and style into our home where I can. Therefore, the next few weeks will feature posts about my DIY changes around our space. The first of which deals with the eyesore of a brass chandelier which was hanging in the kitchen over our table. I thought I was stuck with this hideous light until I perused several DIY design blogs and learned about this great way to makeover an old brass chandelier.

Here is my chandelier before:

Here it is after, though still in the middle stages of the makeover. I still need to add some hanging do-dads. I'll update you next week. Still, I find it to be a HUGE improvement.

I can't decide whether or not to also add chandelier shades. Any ideas?

There are 2 ways to makeover your chandelier. I did the more stupid way, because I didn't want to take down the chandelier and spray paint it, blah blah... So instead, I cleaned the chandelier well and then hand painted 3 coats of white latex, satin finish, paint. I'm very happy with the result. Home DIY makeover part I in progress!

Future projects include:

-applying French letters to my dresser (decoupage) and replacing the drawer pulls with pretty Anthropologie replacements.

-adding do-dads to chandelier

-applying a 12'X8' blue photographic backdrop to a living room wall of the same size (as I cannot paint, but I love a fabric wall!)

-repainting and reupholstering 4 antique chairs for our kitchen (which I picked up for a total of $60!)

-repainting several vintage frames and lamp bases in fun colors.

Healthy + Delicious = (Blue)berry Bran Muffins!

I've been on the hunt for a delicious, healthy bran muffin recipe for ages. In NYC I'm obsessed with the raspberry bran muffins from The BirdBath green bakery-they're phenomenal-though I'm pretty sure they're nutritionally closer to cake than anything else :)

The other day Prof. Hubs brought home a huge number of blueberries. I love them, they are lovely just as they are, but few can eat berries in such exorbitant numbers. They need to be used in delicious ways before they're considered waste. Hence, the birth of the Desperate Housediva's (Blue)berry Bran Muffins. These come together easily in minutes, in one bowl, and are soooo delicious, so healthy (Greek yogurt, bran, whole wheat flour, teensiest bit of butterfat, fresh berries-nutritional powerhouse!) that I needed to share them immediately. I am looking forward to trying this recipe out with fresh raspberries when the season arrives... And for those of you watching your calories this season-I think they come in under 100 calories/per muffin with lots of fiber and protein!

The Desperate Housediva's superhealthydelicious Berry Bran Muffins

(based on a few different recipes, including one by Jean Hewitt, one by some Canadian Agropur people, and one by some recipe contributor called 3lioncubs...)

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1.5 cups wheat bran

3/4 tsp salt (pref. sea salt)

1.25 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 cups fat free plain Greek yogurt

1 egg

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

3 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup plain applesauce

1/4 skim milk (or buttermilk)

1 cup berries (I used blue but rasp would also be divine...)

Preheat oven to 425.

Either butter and flour a muffin tin or use little muffin liners.

In a ginormous mixing bowl, sift first five ingredients (flour through brown sugar.) Then make a well in the middle and add all remaining ingredients except berries. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Then add berries and give a few mixes (barely) until berries are somewhat evenly distributed throughout batter. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter (it should be pretty thick but not doughy) 3/4 way up cups. Bake for 15 minutes (10 minutes if using mini muffin tins) until muffins are golden brown on top.

Allow to cool for a minute or two before enjoying with or without some lovely butter.

Resolutions and a completely awesome recipe for Enchiladas

Happy New Year!!!!

As far as resolutions for 2011 go, does anyone have any good ones to share? I'm considering some of the following:

1. Be better about accessorizing. No, seriously. I never wear jewelry (except for my wedding ring) and I am always impressed by people who can accessorize well. It really takes things up a notch or two and I would love to learn the art of styling/accessorizing with panache.

2. Be better about keeping touch with my friends all around the world-even the ones close to home. I really tend to get lost in my own little nest of domesticity and I miss out on hearing about my friends' adventures (large and small.)

3. Write more. In general. More letters, more blogging, more emails, more stories, more journal entries, etc.

I'm sure starting tomorrow most of us (myself included) will be trying to cook nothing but steamed chicken, brown rice, and vegetables and will be working out for at least an hour seven days a week (as is usually the case around New Year's.) And yet, for some reason I thought that this recipe for New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (given to me by my fabulous friend and native New Mexican, Angelica) was a perfectly festive, fun, easy, DELICIOUS way to ring in the new year. I just love this stuff. And if you have leftover chicken from a roast, etc. it comes together so quickly- in single digit minutes. Then you can stick it in the oven and have time to go work out or something :)

Angelica's New Mexican Chicken Enchilada Casserole

10 ounces cream of mushroom soup (Note: This is the first time in my life I have

ever done one of those "soup" recipes-I never thought I would, nor did I think

I would LOVE it.  But it's good to be less snobby about food, right?  And you

could always buy the organic, reduced guilt kind, right?)

1/4 cup chopped green chile** (canned is ok, but not as awesome)

 1/3 cup milk  (I use skim)           

 1/2 cup chopped onion 

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken     

 cooking spray 

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)                

12 corn tortillas 

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt/garlic flakes 

3 cups grated cheddar cheese (I use the reduced fat pre-shredded stuff but I say go for the 

real stuff and no guilt!)

Preheat oven to 350. 
1. Heat cooking oil/spray in a heavy pan at medium-high heat. 
2. Lightly warm each tortilla in the sprayed pan to soften. 
3. Heat the soup and milk over medium heat on the stove top and then 
add the cooked shredded or diced chicken, garlic flakes, and green chile to taste.

4. Alternate ingredients in a lightly greased, 2-quart casserole dish,

   beginning with the tortillas, then cheese, then a sprinkle of onions 

and then a layer of the soup mix and repeat. The top layer should have            

 the last layer of tortillas with some cheese sprinkled on top.

5. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 25-30    minutes.