Fartlek and Chocolate Cake

First off, my Dad and I have decided to take the plunge and run the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon in April. I started training today and it felt great. My friend, Lyndsey, recommended a training schedule that includes Fartlek runs. When she first uttered the word I thought it was some kind of slang, as in a "butt-kicker" or "so many hills you may fart uncontrollably" kind of run. But it's an actual term that describes a sporadic, pace-changing run.
Who knew?

Secondly, I had my first attempt at baking a from-scratch chocolate cake yesterday. It turned out really good. It made a perfect "Welcome home to the Pants" cake. I halved the recipe to make a small round cake, added chocolate chips and came up with a chocolate whipped cream frosting on the fly--you know the kind. It's the Oh Crap! It's Sunday, What do I have in my fridge? That'll work, kind. And it did. Oh, Blessings!

The moral of the story is: I am going to need some major encouragement in the coming months to do this:

(Pretend this is me--6 inches taller with an effortless stride!)
Carrie, I hope you don't find this creepy.

And even more encouragement NOT to eat this:


Oh by the way, I've decided to combine this blog with my cooking blog.
From now on I'll just post recipes here.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping
(this recipe makes a small round cake.
x2 and it will make a 9x13 cake)
Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
1-1/2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped Topping Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbs fudge sauce (for ice cream)
2 tbs powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a round cake pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. Turn pan upside down onto a large plate. Tap around bottom of pan to loosen cake. To transfer cake on to serving platter, place serving platter on top of cake (with plate underneath) and flip.

Topping:
In a mixing bowl whip whipping cream and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Add fudge sauce and whip until combined.
Frost top and sides of cake once completely cooled.