Being with Franciscans is always full of food and fun, and though we are in a two-week summer institute, this time in Santa Barbara has been no different. To celebrate birthdays in our class, we had a dinner gathering at the home of one of the locals who is in our class. Her home is in the Santa Barbara hills with spectacular views.
Though it was not my birthday, Lyn made it a point to make sure that one of the cakes was chocolate because she knew how much I love chocolate cake. (So thoughtful, huh?)
Many people tell me that they know where to find the best chocolate cake. And usually I humor them as I grimace and sample a cake that is typically dry, with frosting that is too sickenly sweet. But the cake we had in honor of Keith's birthday
(see picture above on right) was probably one of the best bakery chocolate cakes I've had.
The cake comes from
Jeannine's in Santa Barbara, which is celebrating their 25th anniversary in the community. Though a bit cheezy, their theme, "Fall in Love", does reflect my sentiment for their Texas Chocolate Cake. It was a cake I have fallen in love with!
I wish I had a better picture of the uncut cake, because it was beautiful, with a deep dark chocolate buttercream frosting, and covered with marbeled chocolate shavings on the side.
The cake itself was an incarnation of beauty for the taste buds as well. It was dense and dark, but wonderfully moist, with a rich chocolate taste that stood up as yum on its own. In other words, even without all the filling and frosting it was simply an excellent cake, one of the indications that this cake is a true work of art.
The chocolate fudge filling provided a wonderful complement to the dark chocolate undertones in the cake and was not overly sweet. Though the sweetness factor of the frosting could have been turned down a notch for me (as I love a bit more bittersweet bite), it was a far cry from the standard chocolate frosting that screams more of sugar than chocolate.
I had one slice, and was done for. It was a very rich cake, but oh, what a delight. A spiritual chocolate high, which went well with the fun and laughs we had that evening.
Overall, this cake was near perfection, and for $45 for an 8 inch round, it should be! Vegan it definitely was not. But in celebration of birthdays and the wonderful community we are sharing with our Franciscan brothers and sisters, it sings of all that is good in chocolate.
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