{"id":1327,"date":"2017-09-13T22:05:57","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T22:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/?p=1327"},"modified":"2017-09-13T22:05:57","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T22:05:57","slug":"finding-my-fun-in-dollys-doughnut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/?p=1327","title":{"rendered":"Finding my fun in \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcDolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Doughnut\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If my life wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t funny, it would just be true, and that is unacceptable.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Carrie Fisher<\/p>\n

[S]ometimes, after a crap-ass year, you just need to have some fun.<\/p>\n

That is not a terribly positive beginning (was it the term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153crap-ass\u00e2\u20ac\u009d?), and I apologize. But I speak the truth in my feeling. Despite this being a crap-ass year, it wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t my worst, by any means, and there were many good things in it. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m grateful for the good and the bad. To me, gratitude is the best seat in the house. Always. But after a year of being overwhelmed by continued loss, stress, unyielding obligations, and one of the longest, darkest winters of my life, I just want a little light.<\/p>\n

My tendency, too, like many in my family is to let the one little negative thing take over. A tiny droplet of pain, fear, worry and overthinking the looming potential problem \u00e2\u20ac\u201d all become the soaking wet blanket cloaking everything. And when happy moments come, I mistrust them, as if they are some brief, temporary mistake. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the best way to operate. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ruined many a time I should have enjoyed by all of these tendencies and come to find myself, again and again, looking back and wondering the same thing:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Why didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t I just have fun?<\/p>\n

Other people have fun, or seem to. A lot of fun they make a regular part of their schedule. I envy them. It should be a priority.<\/p>\n

And, too, as birthdays come and go and one considers \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a tad morosely \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the end of one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s days (and during a crap-ass year, one considers this more often than not), and I find myself looking at potential regrets, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll think: Would I be patting myself on my back if, at the end of my time, I considered my life and said, wow, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m really glad I spent all those hours working and not having fun, of putting joy on the back burner \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it really paid off. No! My regret would be, that I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t enjoy my life more. That I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take the time to revel in the good and the bad and allow myself fun, play and letting myself be happy, guilt-free.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Stringing together some of the best moments in my life, I see they tend to be the ones where I took a chance on fun. Never sorry there. And even looking back over the last (and crap-ass) year, those times that have lifted and saved me have have been the ones where I pushed myself into some fun, despite the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153easier\u00e2\u20ac\u009d choice of staying home to dwell in worry and gloom. The best times \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a morning in a hair net and apron, across the table from a dear friend, flanked by sprinkle-wielding children, making candy in a chocolate factory a la Lucy and Ethel; a Sunday afternoon of cannoli-making with Sicilian friends; a jaunt to a legendary human-sized house made of real gingerbread; building and decorating \u00e2\u20ac\u201d for the first time \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a gingerbread house of my own; taking a spring jaunt aboard the San Francisco-bound ferry to see \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Swan Lake\u00e2\u20ac\u009d with a former ballerina who danced on the same stage; making time \u00e2\u20ac\u201d despite being short on it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to go to a county fair in my homeland, where there is still great comfort in funnel cakes and calf-showing and wiener dog races and traditions, times and places that remain true to their origination.<\/p>\n

And where do I go, as I sit in times of real stress and worry, when I cannot push through and go out for fun? I step into the pages of cookbooks. There is true comfort and lightness there, too, as I ponder the great baking days I hope lie ahead.<\/p>\n

I allowed myself the purchase in the last year of a book of utter baking whimsy \u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Baked Occasions\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (2014) by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, is in no way a book of baking basics or oft-repeated baking staples. It is a book of one-of -a-kind creations meant only for one thing \u00e2\u20ac\u201d celebrating. On nights of stress, depression or other funks, I found myself paging through this book, and it lifted and transported me beyond the blues. <\/p>\n

Each year for my birthday \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and that of my blog, which happens to land on the same day \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I make a cake to honor the day. If it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wrong to make your own birthday cake, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be right. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve enjoyed each and every cake, and tried to make them something daring, and even daunting, a baking challenge in which the ante has been upped annually. <\/p>\n

And while I considered a range of cakes and desserts to make for this birthday celebration that included such ambitious possibilities as mousse encircled by a row of dutiful lady fingers in Charlotte Russe or a thin layer of sponge cake rolled with a towel while warm to be later unrolled, filled with jam or curd or cream and rolled again, I kept returning to one single notion and one cake that seemed to fulfill it.<\/p>\n

Didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t I just want to have fun? <\/p>\n

Did I want to kill myself with stress and two to three days\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 work, and a page-long list of ingredients and worry over something like a cake, which should be fun? Or, did I want to keep it slightly simpler this time and end up with something not only pretty and party-like, but also a treat to eat?<\/p>\n

I needed a lighthearted cake after a crap-ass year, a cake that might portend funner times ahead, times of more laughter and more cheer, more adventure and more sheer, blissful pleasure and joy.<\/p>\n

I needed Dolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Doughnut.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Doughnut, from \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Baked Occasions,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is a cake inspired by the sunny, birdlike and bird-voiced country legend, Dolly Parton. It is a coconut (apparently Dolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s favorite) Bundt cake, filled with coconut fudge and coated in a delightful pink glaze, bedecked and bedazzled with sprinkles. The fellows of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Baked Occasions,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d baking \"\"<\/a>gurus Lewis and Poliafito, who have authored a series of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Baked\u00e2\u20ac\u009d books as well as running successful bakeries of the same name in New York, created quite a tribute to Dolly with this cake. It, like many of the cakes in the book, is a showstopper in its festive beauty and simplicity. I was drawn to it, like a moth to a flame. It was the light I needed this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the only one who loves coconut, and this cake has it coming from all directions. The yellow Bundt cake includes coconut extract and coconut milk, with lots of butter and eggs to make it sort of a version of a poundcake.<\/p>\n

Part of that batter lightens a dark chocolate, cream cheese and coconut filling, which is encircled over half the yellow cake batter. The rest of the batter is smoothed over the top.<\/p>\n

The cake comes out a beautiful golden ring that could be eaten just as is (or, as I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve considered, cloaked in dark chocolate with maybe a sprinkling of more coconut). But I was really excited to drown it in the color to come\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The glaze used melted white chocolate (which I find I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m quite fond of), flavored with more coconut milk and extract and tinted to the desired shade of pink. It pours easily and generously over the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153doughnut,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the melted chocolate gives it a lovely ganache-like sheen.<\/p>\n

How often do we get to throw sprinkles on anything? A birthday was certainly a time for that! I had picked out a variety of sprinkles with bright colors, hearts and even bunnies to add to the fun.<\/p>\n

Cake No. 8, shaped like a doughnut, pink and sparkly as a country crooner, glowed even brighter with the seven candles I lit on top, representing seven years of my beloved blog, my own source of fun I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve \"\"<\/a>allowed myself, my own source of light. I am so grateful.<\/p>\n

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s to the lighter moments, always welcome.<\/p>\n

Dolly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Doughnut
\nFrom \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Baked Occasions\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\nby Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito (2014)
\nMakes 12 to 16 servings<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the Coconut Bundt Cake:
\n3 cups all-purpose flour
\n1 tablespoon baking powder
\n1\/2 teaspoon kosher salt
\n8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
\n2 1\/2 cups granulated sugar
\n2 large eggs
\n2 large egg yolks
\n2 tablespoons coconut extract
\n2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
\n1 1\u00e2\u0081\u201e3 cups unsweetened coconut milk<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the Dark Chocolate Coconut Filling:
\n5 ounces cream cheese, softened
\n1\/2 cup lightly packed unsweetened shredded coconut
\n6 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), melted and cooled
\n1 large egg
\n3 tablespoons granulated sugar<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the Simple Coconut Glaze:
\n4 to 6 tablespoons coconut milk
\n1\/2 teaspoon coconut extract
\n1\/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
\n2 cups confectioners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 sugar, sifted
\n6 ounces good quality white chocolate, melted but still warm
\nRed or pink food dye or gel<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\n\u00c2\u00a0For D\u00c3\u00a9cor:
\nPink or rainbow sprinkles (optional)<\/p>\n

For the bundt cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Butter
\nthe inside of a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan, dust with
\nflour, and knock out the excess flour. Alternatively,
\nspray the pan with cooking spray. Either way, make
\nsure the pan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nooks and crannies are all thoroughly
\ncoated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking
\npowder, and salt.<\/p>\n

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle
\nattachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium
\nspeed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape
\ndown the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the
\neggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after
\neach addition. Scrape down the bowl again, add the
\ncoconut and vanilla extracts, and beat until just
\nincorporated.<\/p>\n

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with
\nthe coconut milk, beginning and ending with the flour
\nmixture, mixing after each addition until just
\ncombined, about 10 seconds; do not overmix. Remove
\nthe bowl from the standing mixer, transfer the batter
\nto a large bowl, and clean and dry the mixing bowl.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To make the dark chocolate coconut filling, In the
\nnow-clean bowl of the standing mixer fitted with the
\npaddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until
\ncreamy, about 1 minute. Add the unsweetened
\ncoconut, melted dark chocolate, egg, and granulated
\nsugar and beat again until completely incorporated,
\nabout 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of
\nthe bowl and mix again for a few more seconds. Add
\n1\/2 cup of the cake batter to the filling batter and fold
\nuntil incorporated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
\nSpoon the filling on top of the batter, keeping it in the
\ncenter of the batter and away from the sides of the
\npan. Then pour the remaining half of the batter over
\nthe filling. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. <\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nBake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes,
\nuntil a small sharp knife or toothpick inserted in the
\ncenter of the cake comes out with just a few moist
\ncrumbs.<\/p>\n

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
\nGently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and
\nturn it out onto the rack. Place a baking sheet (lined
\nwith parchment if you like, for easy cleanup)
\nunderneath the wire rack.<\/p>\n

To make the coconut glaze, In a large bowl, whisk
\ntogether 4 tablespoons of the coconut milk, the
\ncoconut extract, and vanilla extract. Add the
\nconfectioners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 sugar and whisk until incorporated and
\nsmooth. Slowly stir in the warm white chocolate. We
\nprefer a thick yet pourable glaze; if the glaze appears
\ntoo thick, thin it out with additional coconut milk, a
\ntablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired
\nconsistency. Stir in the food dye, a few drops at a
\ntime, until the desired color is reached.<\/p>\n

Pour the glaze in large, thick ribbons over the crown
\nof the Bundt, allowing the glaze to spread and drip
\ndown the sides of the cake. Top with sprinkles, if
\nusing. Allow the glaze to set before serving, about 5
\nminutes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The cake will keep in an airtight container at room
\ntemperature for up to 3 days.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blogger\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Note: I would highly recommend using a baking spray (not regular cooking spray) for a clean release of Bundt cakes!<\/em>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153If my life wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t funny, it would just be true, and that is unacceptable.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d Carrie Fisher [S]ometimes, after a crap-ass year, you just need to have some fun. That is not a terribly positive beginning (was it the term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153crap-ass\u00e2\u20ac\u009d?), and I apologize. But I speak the truth in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1328,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,10,12,1],"tags":[116,296,45,155],"class_list":["post-1327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookshelf","category-oantry","category-recipe-box","category-uncategorized","tag-birthday-cake","tag-chocolate-party","tag-coconut","tag-flour"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womansconed.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}