Last weekend was kind of a big deal. I have been avoiding writing about it all week. Writing it down makes it all really, real…and really, real means both really, exciting and really, scary. Do you get that?
My dear friend turned 27, I made her this cake, and…Sean, my husband, got a job offer. A good one. One that will be great for his career as an engineer. One that will move us across the country to Michigan. Somewhere I have never even been.
It’s exciting and a little bit sad. For the first time in 13 years I will not live within 5 minutes of my best friends. People I could not imagine my life without. As I type this, tears sting the corners of my eyes, and I can’t help but wonder if I can handle it. Our conversations jump from excited chatter about where I will live, the new things to discover, and promises of visits…to the sobering reality that they won’t be moments away. Coffee and lunch dates will be missed and crafting and art projects done separately. But, I remind myself people do this all of the time, under much more serious and dire circumstances. When my mom was my age she had 2 kids, lived in a foreign country, and lost her husband to a tragic accident. Moving for a new job is cause for celebration and I count my stars.
I know I am a lucky girl. Lucky to have friends that are more than family. Lucky to have a great family. Lucky to have an amazing, supportive husband. Lucky to be able to afford a simple, yet beautiful life. Lucky to be able to dream and do what I like. Lucky, that despite these dire economic times, my husband found an excellent job, in his field, in a time when so many others cannot.
I couldn’t be more thrilled, excited, anxious, and scared at once.
I remind myself,
Homesickness ain’t nothin’, girl…plus, I have chocolate cake.
Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Walnut Dulce de Leche
Cake recipe adapted from Bittersweet
I used Valrhona cocoa, which is Dutch-processed. To assemble the cake as I have above, I baked the cake in an 8inch-square pan. After cooling, I cut the cake in half before dividing each half into layers…which resulted in the rectangular cake you see above 🙂
1 cup +2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs (cold)
1 large egg white (cold)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a measuring cup, combine milk with espresso powder and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add butter, whole (cold) eggs and egg white, to the dry mixture. Mix on medium-high for 2 minutes (set a timer). Scrape the bowl and add the milk mixture. Continue to mix batter on medium-high for 2 more minutes.
Scrape batter into a prepared pan (either a 6 cup capacity tube pan or an 8in-square pan). Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Dulce de Leche Coconut-Walnut “Frosting”
This is not so much a recipe for frosting as it is opening 2 cans of Dulce de Leche and mixing in coconut + walnuts. You can find prepared Dulce de Leche in the “Latin Foods” section of most well-stocked super markets.
2-14 ounce cans prepared Dulce de Leche
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (I used both sweetened and unsweetened…cause I had them both in the cupboard)
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces (or other nut, pecans would be lovely)
Open both cans of dulce de leche and place in a medium saucepan. Melt dulce de leche until it is smooth and easy to stir. Add in coconut and walnuts. Stir to combine and allow to cool before spreading. I found that the slightly warm dulce de leche mixture spreads best…meaning, cooled completely it was a little tough to spread.
This cake looks so good! I am crazy about dulce de leche. And I love your technique of baking it in an 8 inch pan and cutting it and stuff.
And props for being so positive! It has to be hard to leave your friends. Just know that I’m totally down for doing fun crafty adventures and showing you the fun places over by me.
P.S. Did you say you’d be moving to the Lansing area?
Thanks Megan! I can’t wait to discover the area!
Note to self: Do not read touching blog posts while at work. The result is a tear filled bawl fest that makes me look like a fool!
The cake was amazing, btw. I am so very, VERY lucky to have you as a friend. You are truly amazing and I will miss the holy crap outta you.
<3
totes girl…I’m gonna miss you guys a ton. i’m thinking we will need to have a midwest-girl’s-weekend…yes.
Congratulations!!! It will be an adventure and new experiences are exciting. Take care.
Norma, thank you! It will be an adventure for sure 🙂
🙁 i’m sorry, cindy!
that’s so sad! but you’re obviously strong and will be able to get through it!
plus… like you said.. chocolate cake will fix it 🙂
chocolate cake fixes many ailments, it’s true 🙂 thanks katie!
Congrats to you and hubby on the good news!
Yes, moving to a new place is challenging … but you can do it!!
I got married, gave up my job (too far to travel to) and moved to a new city all at the very same time … and it was hard … but 12 years later I am so thrilled and happy to be here … everything happens for a reason (so cliche, but true) and this is meant to be for you!
You will meet new friends (and stay in touch with “old” friends), you will love your new town (in time) and before you know it, you will feel so at home and comfortable that you will wonder why you were so anxious.
So … good luck and hang in there!!
Mira, thanks for the words of encouragement 🙂
Congratulations to your husband for finding a good job in this economy. I’m sure it will be hard to leave but also an exciting experience. Good luck and thank god for technology! I’m sure you’ll still talk to you friends all the time. 🙂
I’m sure that both of you will find lots of adventures in your new town and meet people who will become fabulous new friends! It’ll be a breeze for someone as positive and friendly as you are. And think – what memories you and your close friends will make each time you all come together for catch ups! Who says you can’t throw a tea party via Skype?! Good luck Cindy and can’t wait to read all about it. 🙂
wowowowowow. very exciting and very daunting to be sure. I know it must seem so difficult but your amazing sense of perspective will help you! and this is a time for exploration and I’m sure you will be so happy to have tried living in a new place, new experiences for you both all that good stuff. But i know all that is easier said than done…
good luck little lady–with love–deb
thanks miss deb…XOXOX!
What if I don’t have instant espresso, is there a substitute for that?
Christina, you can leave out the instant espresso if you don’t have it. It is just to enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
Whenever I have a crisis, I always remember EGBOK…Everything’s Gonna Be OK!
I hope you’ll continue with your blog. I love reading your recipes.
Can I use brown sugar if I am missing half of the granulated sugar?
You can use brown sugar, but I can’t say that it won’t change the texture or flavor of the cake. 🙂
Stay positive girl! Moving is tough(I moved to Vegas just 3 years ago after living in Reno my ENTIRE life) and it’s hard at first, but you’ll make friends. And plus, there is always skype and phone calls! It also makes things extra exciting when they come visit and vice versa<3
vanessa, thanks for the encouraging words! i am actually super excited to come back home for visits, it will be a whole new perspective 🙂
This cake looks simply divine and I wouldn’t mind having a cake for my birthday sandwiched with walnut-coconut dulce de leche icing! Good luck on your move, I made the move for my husband to Melbourne from Sydney and it was one of the best and scariest things I’ve ever done. We are looking to move back to Sydney soon but I have loved my life in Melbourne, I’ve been here almost 7 years. It certainly makes you stronger as a couple because all of a sudden you only have yourselves to rely on. I’m sure you will have a great adventure!
Thanks Melissa 🙂
Thanks for sharing both your feelings and this recipe. I wish you well on your move.
cindy i miss your posts, come back! 🙁
Katie,
I will! I will be back to regular posting after I move to Michigan next week and set up my new kitchen! xo Cindy
okay, good!!! i can’t wait!
I have friends a family in Michigan. My youngest son lives in Lansing. I moved to Pennsylvania, now after 11 years I am moving to Tennessee, once again leaving many friends behind. But as long as there is phones and the internet I am able to keep in contact on a daily, sometimes on a hourly, basis. Enjoy your love of cooking. Enjoy Michigan! Stay Warm in the winter
Dorothy, thanks for the sweet comment! Michigan is proving to be so lovely and green…a definite change from the desert. You are right, as long as I have phones and internet access everyone I miss back home is merely a phone call or text away 🙂
I live in Michigan. I’m glad you could join us here and I can’t wait to see what creations come out of your new Michigan kitchen!
I can’t wait to get started!
Chocolate cake makes everything better!
Change is always hard and scary, but most of the time it is so rewarding and you have double the friends and experiences of life to be grateful for!
Just found your blog courtesy of Jessica with How Sweet Eats and I have to say I can’t wait to make the pull-apart bread this weekend! My sister-in-law just went through what you are going through – moving to Michigan from eastern PA. It’s been difficult for their children and she really misses her friends (20 years at the old homestead) but when we visited her last weekend (10 months later) things are starting to get back to normal. As normal as you can get with 2 teens! She approached it as an adventure and has enjoyed exploring the area – best of luck!
Mimi, I am glad you found the blog. Thanks for the wise words 🙂