it's friyay, but admittedly i've been in a pretty funky mood the last few days. i'm guessing my foul mood is due to a lack of yoga or post vacation blues, but regardless of the reason, i've been feeling pretty funky.

we catered our first ever wedding on tuesday, and come wednesday morning i was feeling pretty deflated. so i gave myself a couple days off to sulk around, but it's time to shed these funky feeling and move on to bigger and better things. 

and there is no better way to change a mood than the perfect cocktail. to me, the perfect cocktail is refreshing and vibrant, with just a hint of sweet and tang. this little sparkler nailed it. 

grape & sage sparkler
serves: 2 cocktails
prep time: 5 minutes (unless you have the grape juice on hand, then it takes about a minute)
active time: 5 minutes
total time: 10 minutes (unless you already have the grape juice on hand, then about 5 minutes) ingredients: 1.5 oz vodka. .25 cup grape juice (i don't like my grape juice with all the add ons so i made it myself. i popped 1 cup black grapes into the food processor till pulverized. then i strained the juice and flesh in a strainer pressing out all the juice. it took me less than 5 minutes to do). 1 oz lemon juice. 1 tsp fresh sage, roughly chopped. 1 tsp sugar. .25 cup club soda. lemon wedge for garnish. extra grapes for garnish. muddler. shaker. 3 cups of ice (two for serving, one for the shaker). 2 serving glasses of choice (tumbler or a collins glass would be great). 

in the base of your shaker, combine the lemon juice, sage and sugar.

muddle until the sage is well broken up and the oils have released into the lemon juice and sugar. thirty seconds to a minute. 

then add your grape juice and vodka to the shaker. 

add in one cup of ice and shake well till foamy. about 20-30 seconds. 

fill each glass with half of the remaining ice. pour half the liquid in the shaker into each glass. 

top each half the club soda. 

garnish with grapes and a lemon wedge. enjoy!

xo, a

grape & sage sparkler
serves: 2 cocktails
prep time: 5 minutes (unless you have the grape juice on hand, then it takes about a minute)
active time: 5 minutes
total time: 10 minutes (unless you already have the grape juice on hand, then about 5 minutes) ingredients: 1.5 oz vodka. .25 cup grape juice (i don't like my grape juice with all the add ons so i made it myself. i popped 1 cup black grapes into the food processor till pulverized. then i strained the juice and flesh in a strainer pressing out all the juice. it took me less than 5 minutes to do). 1 oz lemon juice. 1 tsp fresh sage, roughly chopped. 1 tsp sugar. .25 cup club soda. lemon wedge for garnish. extra grapes for garnish. muddler. shaker. 3 cups of ice (two for serving, one for the shaker). 2 serving glasses of choice (tumbler or a collins glass would be great).
in the base of your shaker, combine the lemon juice, sage and sugar.
muddle until the sage is well broken up and the oils have released into the lemon juice and sugar. thirty seconds to a minute.
then add your grape juice and vodka to the shaker.
add in one cup of ice and shake well till foamy. about 20-30 seconds.
fill each glass with half of the remaining ice. pour half the liquid in the shaker into each glass.
top each half the club soda. garnish with grapes and a lemon wedge. enjoy!

i know what you are thinking. why in gods name would she just GIVE me her chocolate cake recipe. 

well the truth is, it really isn't mine to give. it's ina's (the barefoot contessa) and she has already given it away. 

ina is pretty much my culinary goddess. when i was teaching myself to cook, nine times out of ten i would go with a barefoot contessa recipe. they NEVER let me down. and while i have adjusted most of her recipes that i started with, this one is tried and true.

if you are a chocolate cake fan, this is your holy grail. this cake is rich, but still light and fluffy. it's bold in flavor, but is still very moist. it's pretty much the perfect cake. it's great with cream cheese frosting, a classic butter cream or if you are like me, it's great on its own. 

THE chocolate cake
serves: 2 x 9 inch cakes or 1 9 x 13 sheet cake
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30-45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1.75 cups ap flour. .75 cup cocoa powder. 2 cups sugar. 2 tsp baking soda. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp salt. 1 cup buttermilk. .5 cup vegetable oil. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1 cup hot coffee. parchment paper. vegetable oil spray.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. while your oven is preheating, prepare you pans. trace the size of your pans your are using onto the parchment paper and cut out a shape that fits into the bottom of the pan. spray your pan with oil and then set the parchment in the bottom. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand blender, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and extract. 

once the wet ingredients are well combined, turn the mixer to slow and add in the dry ingredients a bit a time. 

when your batter is well combined (it should be nice and thick), slowly add in the hot coffee. 

mix until just combined and smooth. 

pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. 

bake for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pan. you will know that the cake is done when you can insert a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. remove the cake from the oven and set to cool on a cooling rack. 

once the cake has cooled to room temp, remove your cake from the pans and use.

xo, a

THE chocolate cake
erves: 2 x 9 inch cakes or 1 9 x 13 sheet cake
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 5 minutes
bake time: 30-45 minutes
total time: 1 hour
ingredients: 1.75 cups ap flour. .75 cup cocoa powder. 2 cups sugar. 2 tsp baking soda. 1 tsp baking powder. 1 tsp salt. 1 cup buttermilk. .5 cup vegetable oil. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1 cup hot coffee. parchment paper. vegetable oil spray.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. while your oven is preheating, prepare you pans. trace the size of your pans your are using onto the parchment paper and cut out a shape that fits into the bottom of the pan. spray your pan with oil and then set the parchment in the bottom. in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand blender, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and extract. once the wet ingredients are well combined, turn the mixer to slow and add in the dry ingredients a bit a time. when your batter is well combined (it should be nice and thick), slowly add in the hot coffee. mix until just combined and smooth. pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. bake for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pan. you will know that the cake is done when you can insert a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. remove the cake from the oven and set to cool on a cooling rack. once the cake has cooled to room temp, remove your cake from the pans and use.