Musical Horses and GF Chocolate Cake

So, we've been playing a bit of "Musical Horses" around Cowfeathers this year. We started 2012 with Mike, Oslo and Peaches. First Peach, left and we borrowed Patches. Then Mike left and we blessedly had only two. (This was a non-riding period for me while I recovered from BarnSlam 2012)Then Oslo left (still sniffling), and Patch was alone for a bit while I launched my horse search, finding Chaser. Then, Chanel came for Middlest. Then, this week, Patch went back to her home, and we brought home Pearl for Youngest. Ya follow? Record as the craziest horse year I've had, with comings and goings.

Youngest, and Pearl.

So, we are back to three, and this time only one horse per rider. Of course, in honor of that, Chanel, although sound, is sporting leg issues that will send me out here again in a few minutes to play doctor. Poor pony. Poor me. I had plans for the day, and those are now switched to pony-doctoring.
So, last evening, after bringing pony home, I busied myself with making a cake. Because I wanted cake, but I conveniently made it a bit special by serving it in honor of Pearl (which promptly brought a complaint from Middlest "I didn't get a cake for Chanel." So, I suggested she not eat cake in protest.) I posted a picture of said cake on Facebook.



The cake is so delish, and a few friends asked for a how to. So....

 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache.

Perfect for when you've bought a pony on Wednesday night.  

 

Okay, first fess-up: I was in a hurry (it was already 6 ish!) so, I used a mix. Pamela's Gluten Free Cake Mixes are my favorite brand. I use duck eggs in the recipe which gives cake a decadent moistness like no other. So, in about 30 minutes my cake was already out of the oven. Which gave me time to run the shop vac in the kitchen and mudroom while Youngest soaked his sushi rice. (Later, I was thankful I had already sucked up all the mud in the shop vac, as I had to bathe the dogs in the mudroom after the evening skunking.)Then, I didn't want to spend time making frosting or frosting a cake, so I made a ganache. This is much easier than it sounds. I put around 6 oz. of Ghiradelli chocolate chips into a glass bowl, heat 3/4 c. heavy cream on the stove until it has a soft boil (I stir a bit now and then so it doesn't burn on the bottom), add a pinch of sea salt, dissolve that, then slowly pour the hot cream over the chocolate, while whisking it, until the chocolate all melts. It sets up beautifully instantly. Then I pour about half the ganache over the first layer and then the other half on the top layer. Ta da!

Because I was presenting it in honor of Pearl, I used little edible pearls to loosely spell "Pearl" on the top. It made it sweet, and on Wednesday night, one shouldn't try too hard.

By that time, Youngest had his sushi rice made, and his rice vinegar mixture ready to paddle into the rice. Then, we encrusted some tilapia (naughty, that, I think it is on the "don't buy"list because my purchase will eventually blow up the earth) in crushed toasted pecans and fried it in olive oil. Then into bowls, rice, fish, arugula, pickled ginger, wasabi paste =/-, and tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce) and voila- chirasi style sushi.

Followed by Chocolate Cake. Jeez, I better go till up something, clean stalls, dig holes, carry grain....