#MEwx Warmer, sun and clouds and an All-in-one Chocolate cake

Good Morning Augusta

This morning we have partly sunny skies with highs in the mid 30s. Winds are Northwest around 10 mph. Wind chill values as low as zero this morning.

Tonight we'll have mostly clear conditions with lows around 15°F. West winds around 10 mph.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Our outdoor temperature is 20.1°F, the humidity is 32%, the Dew point is -5.1°F with a wind chill of 20.3°F.

The wind direction is northwest between 0.0 MPH and 0.1 MPH.

The Relative pressure is 29.70, the Absolute pressure is 29.50 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun and clouds.

If you want to see real-time instrument readings from my personal weather station in my North field click Here. That will take you directly to my weather station.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers with sun and a few clouds.

The UV rating is 1 out of 16, The moon is  77.7% illuminated, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, Sunrise is 6:12 am↑ 98° East, sunset is 5:30 pm↑ 262° West, Moonrise is 11:01 pm↑ 112° Southeast, Moonset is 8:38 am↑ 253° West and we'll have 11 ours 18 minutes of daylight today.

We didn't receive any rain or snow/melt here over the past 24 hours.

Why not make a good old-fashioned chocolate cake tonight?

All-in-One Chocolate Cake

NIGELLA LAWSON

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

·         Butter for greasing baking pans

·         1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·         1 cup sugar

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         ½ teaspoon baking soda

·         ⅓ cup best-quality cocoa powder

·         6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         2 large eggs, at room temperature

·         2 teaspoons vanilla

·         ¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature

FOR THE FROSTING:

·         6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

·         3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

·         1 tablespoon light corn syrup

·         ½ cup sour cream

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

·          

PREPARATION

1.      For cake: heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter sides of two 8-inch cake pans, and line bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, butter, eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Process to make a smooth, thick batter.

2.      Using a rubber spatula, divide batter between pans, and smooth tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake pans.

3.      For frosting: Combine chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl, and heat until melted in a microwave oven or over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in corn syrup, sour cream, and vanilla. Whisk in confectioners' sugar until very smooth. Frosting should be thick and spreadable. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water to thin it, or additional sifted confectioners' sugar to thicken.

4.      Cut four strips of waxed or parchment paper and place them side by side on a cake plate, covering the surface. Place one cake layer domed-side down on plate.

5.      Spoon about a third of the frosting onto center of cake and use a knife or a spatula to spread it evenly. Place the other cake on top, domed side up. Spoon another third of frosting on top of cake, spreading to make swirls or a smooth finish. Spread sides of cake with remaining frosting and allow to sit for a few minutes until set. Carefully remove paper strips. Place cake under glass or in an airtight container and set aside in a cool place until serving.