Who knew?!

You know when you have one of those days when you just gotta have something? A few days ago, I REALLY wanted chocolate cake. Something stemming from having a birthday recently (don't ask, I'm too old!) and not having anyone bake a cake for me. I ended up having a delicious chocolate cake at my birthday dinner at a nice restaurant, but it was made by an anonymous chef, not someone who cares about me. So I wanted cake, and since no one was going to make me one, I made it myself.

I have a thing about chocolate cake. I love it, but I never ever had one that I thought was the ultimate delicious perfect chocolate cake. There is something inherently wonderful about chocolate -- it has a lot to live up to, so anything not perfect is almost like a waste of chocolate. Well, almost! I decided to give baking a chocolate cake a go knowing full well that my craving would not be completely satisfied. I am my worst critic. Boy, was I ever wrong?!

I used a recipe I had for a long time but never used -- Nigella's Ghoul Graveyard Cake from Feast. I guess I never bothered because it was never really presented fully as a chocolate cake. It is in the Halloween chapter and its schtick is that it is covered in black icing and ghoul jelly lolly pops. As far as I know, nobody had made it of my friends, so I had no idea how perfect it was. And when I say it was perfect, believe me! My favorite chocolate cake of all time has been discovered!