SPRING!!!

well, today is the day, dudes.
yup.
the first day of spring-
the vernal equinox.
the balance of light and dark;
the start of something greener...
although gold is where it all begins,
if that poem is to be believed.
also,
it's my ma's berfday.
and that's pretty cool, too.
this is IT.
and while it's not exactly warm,
it's getting brighter, and there's a lot to be said for that, at least.
another something we could say a lot for is cake.
mmhmm.
single layer cakes are absolutely my power-play.
i've said that before, and often, because it's the truth,
and truth-tellers can never stop, man.
that's no joke.
single layer cakes are for everyday consumption, y'know?
like,
if it was coffeecake,
nobody would bat an eyelash at having a breakfast slice every day, right?
y'know why?
because there's no middle layer to make it for a special occasion.
i'm serious.
the gluey frosting/custard/puddin'/jam/whatever in-between layers
is where the line is drawn.
i'm not in charge of these decisions, but rules is rules,
and i can hang out with that.
so,
back to cakin' it up-
i do that.
and i did that.
and i said farewell to winter with some serious heavy-duty dopeness for my dome.
check the teleport:

MOCHA AMARETTO!!
coffee, chocolate, and almond, bro.
that's the good-good that kept me go-going all damned day.
how tight is that frosting?
i mean,
it's pretty flippin' tight, am i right?
and the cake itself is expert like you;re about to read about.
that's real.
also,
it's just almond extract and almond milk and almonds,
no liqueur, because it's okay not to drink,
and besides i don't permit booze on these premises.
word up.
you wanna get crackin' on one of these for your own single-layer player game?
you do?
good, because i'm about to give you the play by play:
-
*
MOCHARETTO!
-
preheat your oven to 350℉, on convection, if you're fancy,
or 365℉ if you're not.
-
in your stand mixer, with the whisk attached, whip together:
2/3 cup brown sugar;
1/2 tsp salt;
1 stick (8T) softened vegan butter;
1 tsp vanilla;
1 tsp almond extract;
1 tsp coffee extract;
3 T instant coffee;
1/4 cup cocoa.
that'll be a thick dry mix-up,
so add:
2/3 cup non-dairy yogurt, and mix well-
next,
sift in:
2 1/2 cups a.p. flour;
1 tsp baking powpow;
1 tsp baking soda;
1/3 cup crushed almonds;
begin to mix that on low power, and pour in;
3/4 cup almond milk with coffee extract and almond extract,
and 1/4 cup strong coffee (i use decaf, because i'm sensitive, neighbors)
whip it up until it's fluffed the F* out-
pour the batter into a greased 9" springform pa,
and bake it for 40 minutes or so-
let it cool, and flip it over, and frost it up like a pro, yo.
-
*
ALMOND COFFEE FROSTING!
-
2 cups powpow sugar;
6 T vegan butter;
2 tsp coffee extract;
1 tsp almond extract;
1 tsp vanilla  extract;
1/4 +/- non-dairy milk.
whip whip whisk and whirl that until it's airy and awesome-
and when you're ready, skim-coat the caketop.
then swirl it as you see fit-
i added cocoa to half and made it even better,
and then i microplaned dark chocolate sprankles all over the top.
and then,
if you're trying to go to eleven (which we always are)
chocolate covered espresso beans are the power move to prove you're TILTY AF.
-
cake is great.
this cake is great.
mocha is delicious, and almonds complement it like crazy.
it tastes sort of italian, if that makes any sense.
i dunno.
that's how i feel when i munch up slice after slice after slice.
for realsies.
***********
and now it's berfday time,
and springtime,
and both of those things are rad.
i'm excited.
i'm equinoxin' my socks off.
there's a ven diagrammatical epicenter right here,
where all of it is all really happening.
i'm sure excited about all of it.
spring into action, spring upwards and onwards and outwards,
and get ready to grow;
never quiet, never soft.....