Fallen Chocolate Cake

I made this cake months and months ago (before I was pregnant, actually), but it's too good to not share. This is such a great recipe because it's one dessert that you actually want to fall. I made this for company, so I could make the cake earlier in the day and let it cool and fall all afternoon while I finished up dinner. I always try to have a combination of make-ahead and last minute recipes for when we have company, and this one is a winner!

Fallen Chocolate Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces, plus more for pan
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, divided, plus more for pan
10 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (61-72%), coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 eggs
2 Tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt

for the topping:
1 cup chilled heavy cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 9" springform pan and dust with sugar, tapping out any excess.

Combine chocolate, oil, and 1/2 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring often, until melted. Remove bowl from saucepan.

Separate 4 eggs, placing whites and yolks in separate medium bowls. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 2 eggs to bowl with yolks and whisk until until mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk yolk mixture into chocolate mixture, blending well.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until frothy. With mixer running, gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar; beat until firm peaks firm.

Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in 2 additions, folding just until incorporated between additions. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp sugar.

Bake until top is puffed and starting to crack and cake is pulling away from edge of pan, 35-45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan (cake will collapse in the center and crack further as it cools).

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Remove sides of springform pan from cake. Mound whipped cream in center of cake and serve. Serves 8-10.

source: barely adapted from Bon Appétit, March 2013

Skin care routine

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Do you switch up your skin care routine frequently? I tend to stick to my tried and true favorites but find that new products often end up in the routine and stay for several months. This is what I'm currently doing:

I wake myself up in the mornings with Origins GinZing scrub cleanser. The citrus-y scent perks me up (and the caffeine helps too!), and I like using a gel that exfoliates for the mornings. Afterwards I apply a little bit of Origins Plantscription anti-aging serum. It's never too early to start fighting those wrinkles that are bound to appear at some point! I finish the morning with Origins GinZing moisturizer. Again, I love the GinZing line, and this moisturizer offers good coverage without feeling greasy.

I shower in the evening to save time in the morning (sleep is too precious to me!), and I use Origins A Perfect World cleanser after shampooing and conditioning my hair. My skin has been insanely dry this pregnancy, so before bed I apply a little Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask to replenish my skin and keep it from being so flaky.

Disclosure: Origins has no idea who I am, and I was not asked to write this or compensated in any way. I just love Origins products!