May 2010

My coworker Yang really knows how to take a mundane topic such as 5s and turn it into a  PowerPoint presentation gem!  So it was that Yang breathed life into this authoritative and yet sensitive figure below.

Then I took that life and blew it completely out of proportion, using it as a surrogate logo and unofficial company mascot whenever and wherever possible (or even whenever and wherever it was seemingly impossible).  When it was Yang’s birthday, there was only one man who could really do the job of officially bestowing the company’s birthday wishes.

As for my part, I bestowed my birthday wishes via cake, and Yang was pleasantly surprised.

Cake Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups cocoa
2 eggs
3/4 cup pure cane sugar
½ cup honey
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
¾  cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbs orange juice concentrate
2 oranges for zesting
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients
1/4  local wildflower honey
1 package of organic cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs  orange juice concentrate
the zest from one orange

For the Cake:

In a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat.   Remove from heat.

In a bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Without stirring, add the sugar, honey, flour, pecans, orange juice concentrate, zest from one orange and salt.  Pour chocolate mixture and then vanilla over the top and mix well.

Transfer to a greased 8-in square baking pan.

Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes or until the edges begin pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

For The Icing:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor.