Say Something Nice and Have a Slice of Cake

Here we are, on the first day in June. That’s half-way through the year. June 1st is one very busy day in one exciting month. It’s the month of summer fun for folks in the Northern Hemisphere. Did you know that no other month in the year begins on the same day of the week as June? I kid you not!

On the non-food related National Calendar for June 1 we have Global Day of Parents, World Reef Awareness Day, National Nail Polish Day, Go Barefoot Day, and my favorite, Say Something Nice Day. On the Foodie front, we have World Milk Day and Hazelnut Cake Day. A marriage made in heaven. If you ask me, there is no better midnight snack than to sneak a slice of cake and have it with a cold glass of milk.

Global Day of Parents is not the same as Parents Day, which is in July. Either day, it’s all about honoring people who make that lifelong sacrifice and selfless commitment to their children. Global Day simply says Thank You parents everywhere.

Now World Reef Awareness Day is really something I could get behind. Coral reefs are living communities that we need to cherish and protect. While some say rising sea temperatures are the leading cause for coral to die, I think the biggest damage comes from high tourism. People don’t realize just how fragile the reefs are. I blame Amusement Parks. Why? People go to amusement parks to have fun with fake stuff. They don’t understand the difference between a fake experience and the real thing. Ignorance. That’s the biggest danger to the planet.

Say what you will about nail polish. Since I don’t have nails, so I don’t use polish. As for Go Barefoot Day – yeah, most days I do. Even in the dead of winter.

Say Something Nice. We all should. Whenever I meet someone for the first time, I look for something nice to say. You have beautiful hair. What a lovely outfit. You have amazing eyes. Even when we go to street fairs, I usually begin my interactions with the vendors by saying something nice – what a lovely collection of dishes – are you the artist – amazing work. To me, there is always something nice to be said. And saying it doesn’t cost the speaker a thing. You never know, it might just make someone’s day.

Before you speak, think.

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Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could bake a cake, set up a table someplace, share that cake with strangers, all while saying something nice?

Taste of Home Espresso Hazelnut Torte
Espresso Torte
1/3 cup Butter, softened
3 large Eggs, room temperature
3 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1-1/4 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2-1/4 cups Flour
1 tablespoons Instant Espresso Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1-1/2 cups Milk

Let the butter for the cake and frosting soften, and the eggs come to room temperature. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or double boiler, allow to cool slightly before using.

Heat oven to 350-degrees. Grease the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease paper and set pans aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Once creamed, add eggs, 1 at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed butter alternating with milk, beating well after each addition.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Place in the heated oven to bake for about 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, remove parchment paper and allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks.

While the cakes cool, make the frosting.

Hazelnut Frosting
4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
3/4 cup toasted Hazelnuts, chopped
1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoons Heavy Cream or as needed

In a large bowl, sift powdered sugar. Set aside. Chop nuts, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter with Nutella until blended. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and enough cream to reach desired spreading consistency.

Note: If the cake has a high dome, trim the top of the bottom layer to level; place trimmed side down on a cake platter before frosting.

Spread bottom later of cake with 1 cup of the frosting. Sprinkle with about 1/4-cup chopped nuts. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. If desired, pipe frosting in decorative swirls on the top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped hazelnuts.

Slice, serve and enjoy.

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By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made.