Today I’m continuing with my maternity leave guest post series! My mortal enemy, Rebecca, started her blog, The Art of Eating Books, a few months ago, and I was so enamored with the concept, I decided to call a temporary truce so that she could do this post for me. Matilda is one of my favorite stories (I was a big Roald Dahl fan as a child), and I absolutely love the movie, too! Rebecca’s recipe style is totally different from mine (Only 4 steps for a cake recipe? MADNESS!), but super approachable. Rebecca’s sweat and blood went into this cake, and you will not leave this blog until you have consumed the entire confection!
Hello minions readers! My name is Rebecca and a temporary armistice has allowed me to infiltrate guest blog on my arch nemesis’ website. This means you will get a break from Maria’s evil sorcery (how else do you explain this food porn perfection?) while she spends some quality time with her devil’s spawn child. When I’m not busy arching Maria you can find me creating literary inspired edibles at The Art of Eating Books.
I’ve become more jaded as I’ve grown older. Trying to relive the magic of my childhood has only served to ruin my memories. I watched an old favorite film, Nemo in Slumberland, and was perplexed to find that it was not the three hour long epic tale that I once remembered. It saddens me to think that I shouldn’t revisit certain things as it will only confirm that the magic does inevitably fade. When you grow up, your heart dies.
Matilda, however, is one of those wonderful children’s books that still holds up upon rereading. All of Roald Dahl’s books are like that (though I try not to dwell on the anti-Semitic politics of the man.) There’s a certain cleverness that just doesn’t fade with age. I recall idolizing Matilda, a fellow book lover that I could understand. I boiled milk in a saucepan as she did and begged my dad to switch from Nesquick to Ovaltine (her preferred cocoa powder.) Then I’d curl up with the book to read for the umpteenth time, pages frayed, spine broken.
This recipe is inspired by the iconic scene in which the evil headmaster The Trunchbull tries to punish wholesome, cake-loving Bruce Bogtrotter by forcing him to finish a giant chocolate cake in one sitting. It’s supposed to be torturous but I don’t understand. Too much cake? Is that even a thing?? (OM NOM NOM.)
Love affairs with books are a funny thing. I liken them to love letters, creased and falling apart from so much rereading. You know the words by heart, and yet sometimes you must take them out of the box and let the magic, though worn with age, linger on a little longer.
And now…MUTINY! (Armistice over)
BRUCE BOGTROTTER’S CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix dry items together. Add wet items slowly. Use a mixer until well blended.
- Grease a 9-inch round baking pan and pour in batter. Bake 30-35 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean). Let cool 10 minutes before frosting.
- To make frosting: melt the chocolate in heavy cream on a saucepan, stirring until fully melted. Remove from heat and let cool. Frost cake using a spatula to help spread it evenly.
