Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
3. Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting

1. Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups packed brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 3 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/3 cups sour cream
• 1-1/3 cups boiling water

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FROSTING

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water until blended.
• Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a metal bowl over simmering water, melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Nutrition Facts 1 slice: 685 calories, 29g fat (18g saturated fat), 115mg cholesterol, 505mg sodium, 102g carbohydrate (81g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.

Photo:
Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie Recipe | King Arthur Flour
King Arthur Flour

Who doesn't love pie? The holidays are the best time to whip up your favorite pie. Is your favorite cherry? Apple? Banana cream? Answer the poll below! You gotta have a favorite!

Photo:
Joel Fillion
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12682/apple-pie-by-grandma-ople/photos/6237751/

Ingredients

Note: Recipe directions are for original size.

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• Add all ingredients to list

Directions

• Prep
  30 m
• Cook
  1 h
• Ready In
  1 h 30 m

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

1. Popcorn kernels can pop up to 3 ft. up in the air.
2. Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.
3. "Popability" is popcorn lingo that refers to the percentage of kernels that pop.
4. The world’s largest popcorn ball, according to Guinness World Records 2015, was created in 2013 at the Indiana State Fair. The popcorn ball weighed in at 6,510-pounds, 8 feet in diameter.
5. Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.
6. Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a "popcorn" control button.
7. The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.​
   

Flu shots, cold medication, health care advice, where would we be without our pharmacists? And for those of you who don’t know. I’m a pharmacist by day, romance author by night. But today, it’s all a our your friendly neighborhood pharmacist. It’s time to thank those hard workers who keep us healthy throughout the year, working crazy hours and weekends to ensure you have access to healthcare. It’s time to celebrate National Pharmacist Day on January 12. The day focuses on the importance of pharmacists, and it honors how much they impact our health and well-being.

Being a writer, a pharmacist, and new mom is a challenge but a challenge I love!!! Every aspect of my life flows into my books. You’ll see a medical inspired characters in just about every one of my novels. Science and the human body has always fascinated me and I’m lucky I’m able to help so many people with their health care needs.