I’m sitting at a coffee shop. BY MYSELF. My foot, however, is repetitively tapping the floor, because I just can’t shake the habit of constant movement: of rocking, of bouncing, of swinging my baby girl. I’m not going “back to work” in the traditional sense. I don’t have a 4o-hour-a-week job (And I likely won’t. Ever.) But that doesn’t mean I don’t work. I have photography and writing projects that allow me to help provide for our family. And in case you think this means I have it easy…these projects often result in me putting in 6o hours of work a week all while trying to take care of a 4-month old. It gets crazy hard.
And so we’re trying something new. My sweet cousin Laura is watching Lucy two mornings a week so I can steal away for six hours and work, uninterrupted, during the light of day.
But another thing I didn’t realize about motherhood was this: you never stop thinking about your baby, no matter if they’re with you or with someone you love.
And so here I am with images that need editing and with a chapter that needs writing and all I can think about is the way Lucy laughs. She laughs now, and its the best sound in the world.
We made this Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cake together last weekend. She sat in her bouncer and watched me work. This is how it often goes: she works with me, it takes twice as long, and it’s exhausting but also wonderful to watch her soak up these creative processes that make up my job. This cake is the best of two desserts: gingerbread and chocolate cake. Moist, dense, and full of deep flavor, each slice is meant to be savored on a cold winter day with a hot cup of coffee or tea by your side. The white chocolate drizzle is optional (but totally delicious). I used organic cake mix and pudding mix (but you can use the regular stuff…much easier to find!)
Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 box instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brewed coffee (or water)
1 cup mini chocolate chips
White Chocolate Drizzle
4 ounces white chocolate
4 teaspoons heavy cream
Coat a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except chocolate chips (yes, just mix them all together!). Beat for two minutes, or until smooth. Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until cake pulls away slightly from pan and springs back when touched.
Allow to cool for fifteen minutes before inverting on a wire rack.
Once cake has fully cooled, make white chocolate drizzle. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring well after each. Drizzle over completely cooled cake and enjoy!