If you follow me on Instagram or on Facebook, you probably know that I received a super awesome box yesterday - a box of books!!! I squealed at the UPS man as he handed the heavy box to me, and I'm sure he probably thought I was crazy, but I don't care a bit. I was so excited!

So, I can now say that my book is officially in stock in my Pattern Shop at the moment. If you pre-ordered, your book will be on its way to you today!

And because it was Happy Book Day, I couldn't resist making an old family favorite cake to celebrate - Brown Beauty Cake. It's a recipe that's been in my family for as long as I can remember. It's the cake that I had for my birthdays growing up, for any celebration, really, and often just because. I don't eat cake the way I used to anymore, so I debated whether or not I'd even bake a cake yesterday, but ultimately, I wanted to celebrate, so I went for it. Sometimes it's okay to indulge, right? :)

Here's the recipe, in case you're so inclined to do a little celebrating of your own:

Brown Beauty Cake
makes one 9" square cake

1/2 cup boiling water
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (I like Baker's)
1 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
1/4 buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Pour hot water over chopped up chocolate and stir until fully melted. Set mixture aside to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x9 square baking pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a separate bowl. Add cooled chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in butter and mix well. Beat for one minute.
3. Add egg, buttermilk, and vanilla and beat for one minute.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted, and just a dense crumb or two sticks to the toothpick.

Frosting:
1/2 stick softened butter
Vanilla
Powdered sugar
Milk or 1/2 and 1/2

Mix softened butter with powdered sugar, to taste - I usually use around 2 cups. Add approximately 1-2 tsp of vanilla, 1 Tbsp of milk or 1/2 and 1/2, and a shake or two of salt. Frost cake after it has fully cooled, and enjoy!