americanidol

Tale of Tigers and Idols

Nope, I'm not referring to my dream worthy jungle adventures, or any spritual upheaval in that matter. Finally got to try my hand at making the tiger cake; a recipe that I had proudly adapted from Alice Medrich's Bittersweet. After months of lying lifelessly in my recipe box, this recipe can now see the light. and trust me, after that teeny bit of work done to put it together. it was more than worth it!

what I loved about the cake, olive oil? ground white pepper? valrhona cocoa powder?... now that is one truly interesting recipe coming from the chocolate goddess herself. Alice.. perhaps I shld purchase 'bittersweet' soon. On the subject of the tiger cake, bne things for sure though. I'll definitely not use my cathedrale pan when baking this cake again. Ended up with loads of burnt ends and edges due to the structure of it. Thank God for silicon pans though, it sled out sooo smoothly. *phew*

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Tiger Cake (makes one 10-12 cup bundt cake or 2 9" loaves)
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This delicious cake is a self marbling cake. Don't be alarmed by the addition of white pepper, it accentuates the olive oil in the cake. You will barely taste it. In fact be patient and the moist cake will taste MUCH better the next day!

1/2 cup natural cocoa

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Whisk all ingredients and set aside.

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups of sugar

1 cup flavourful extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp finely ground white pepper

5 large eggs

1 cup milk

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Position rack on the lower third.

Grease and flour a 10 - 12 cup bundt pan.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat sugar, oil, vanilla, pepper well. Add eggs one at a time. Whisk well till mixture is pale and thick. Add flour in three stages, alternately with milk.

Take out three cups of plain batter and stir in cocoa mixture. Pour the two different batters into the prepared tube pan.

Pour the batters in thirds, alternately onto pan.

Bake cake for one hour or until done.

Cool in a rake for 15 -20 minutes. Slide a butter knife and loosen the sides of the cake to release cake from the bundt pan. Cool cake on right side up on the rack

and deviating from the subject a little. Let me dwell upon my second adventure. idols.. not exactly the minature stone version you were thinking about nor the new figure you wish to attain on your bank account. its the american idols!!! i know I'm a little late but i just cldn't stop myself from recommending these two songs to you! well, u might have already figured out that they must have been featured during the mariah carey week. hehe. totally dig their new versions and interpretations of the mariah classics. Hope that you guys enjoy them too!

and in the spirit of mariah. here's a special msg to babe,

'cause you knoe in your heart babe, our love will never end.'