My Mind Lets Go A Thousand Things.

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadot

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadotChocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadot I've always been fascinated by the things our mind chooses to remember and the things it chooses to forget.

I can't remember learning to whistle, but I can vividly remember that time in fifth grade when Justin Kennedy flashed one of his perfect smiles at me. That terrible haircut I got to impress him thankfully didn't last for long and my whistling skills have only improved.

I can't remember the moment I met my best friend, but I can clearly recall my recurring childhood nightmares about ET. He hid in my closet mostly and creeped up on me with his weird glowing finger. I'm still terrified of ET, but at least my best friend understands me.

I can't recollect the details of that amazing Radiohead concert, but I can remember every excruciating hour that my cat was lost by the airline. My cat is subsequently terrible at travelling, but my souvenir Radiohead t-shirt is still my favourite despite the holes and faded patches.

Sometimes it even feels like the space between our ears is finite. You learn a new friend's name and suddenly you forget your PIN number. You finally memorize your favourite pizza dough recipe and you forget who your eighth grade math teacher was. You cram for your written driving test and instantly forget which key fits in the back door deadbolt.

Here to illustrate my point is Thomas Bailey Aldrich with one of my favourite poems, both beautiful and aptly named, Memory.

My mind lets go a thousand things, Like dates of wars and deaths of kings, And yet recalls the very hour - 'Twas noon by yonder village tower, And on the last blue moon in May - The wind came briskly up this way, Crisping the brook beside the road; Then pausing here, set down its load Of pine scents, and shook listlessly Two petals from that wild-rose tree.

I remember seeing my sweetie for the first time. He was framed in my basement apartment peephole nervously shifting his weight to one foot while clutching a bouquet of flowers. I remember hearing his voice for the first time and being startled by how deep and warm it was. I remember how much his whiskers tickled when I kissed him. I look forward to capturing little mental snapshots like these in the years to come.

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope it's one to remember!

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadot

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadot Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake Makes 1 loaf cake.

Source: My imagination.

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup raspberry puree 1 tbsp raspberry jam 1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 cup flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup milk 2 tbsp oil

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Grease a heart shaped cupcake silicone mold and set it aside. If you don't have a mold like that, butter and flour a 9 inch cake pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then add it in thirds alternating between the raspberry puree and oil. Lastly, mix in the raspberry jam.

Divide the batter between the prepared heart shaped cups then bake them for 15 - 20 minutes until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out moist but not goopy. Transfer them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. If you opted for the cake pan instead of the heart molds, cut out your heart shapes with a cookie cutter once the cake is cooled.

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadotChocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake via @hotpolkadot Grease a 9 inch loaf pan and fit a piece of parchment paper inside with enough overhang to lift the baked cake out.

In a large bowl an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt then add it in thirds alternating between the milk and oil.

Pour enough batter into the prepared loaf pan that you just cover the bottom. Place a row of raspberry cake hearts down the middle and cover them with the remaining batter. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle and sides comes out clean. It will bake considerably quicker than you average loaf cake with the raspberry cake inside. Leave it to sit until the pan is cool enough to touch safely then, using the parchment overhang, pull the cake out to cool completely.

Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it aside. Combine the cream and butter in a small sauce pan and heat it on medium heat until the butter melts and the cream just reaches a boil. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit covered for a few minutes before stirring it until it's smooth.

Pour the ganache over the cooled cake for a luscious chocolate glaze. Slice and enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Forbidden Love Cake7

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