"Neo, sooner or later you're going to realize, just as I did, that there's a difference be knowing the path, and walking the path."
You can go through life knowing a thing. You can prepare for it, think about, decide on it and even come to terms with it. But to arrive at the culmination of all that you know; to arrive at a moment and to then walk through it, well that’s another thing altogether.
Today was one such day; today was the culmination of all the things you might think you know colliding full force into all the things you couldn’t know until you came to this moment. Today you realize that from here on out, you’ll think about your life as before and after this moment, right now.
Life will never be the same. But you knew it wouldn’t be. You knew that life was going to change. You knew it, but now you’re really doing it. Living it. To live through this moment makes you brave. To face this challenge head-on is powerful.
This is life. This is preparation meeting the moment. This is looking fear right in the eyeball and doing what needs to be done anyway. And that’s why you’ll make it through. Because you’re brave and strong and ready to take this moment and seize it.
Today was one such day; today was the culmination of all the things you might think you know colliding full force into all the things you couldn’t know until you came to this moment. Today you realize that from here on out, you’ll think about your life as before and after this moment, right now.
Life will never be the same. But you knew it wouldn’t be. You knew that life was going to change. You knew it, but now you’re really doing it. Living it. To live through this moment makes you brave. To face this challenge head-on is powerful.
This is life. This is preparation meeting the moment. This is looking fear right in the eyeball and doing what needs to be done anyway. And that’s why you’ll make it through. Because you’re brave and strong and ready to take this moment and seize it.
Cookie Dough White Bean Bundt Cake (adapted from Joy the Baker)
For the Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
1 bag mini semisweet chocolate chips
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Add beans to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Whip until beans are almost to a smooth puree. It’s ok if there are some beans that are not completely pureed. They’ll be well incorporated once they are beaten with the butter and sugar.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, sugar and bean puree. Beat on medium speed until butter and beans are well incorporated, about 3-5 minutes. Beans will break down and create a slightly soupy mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute between each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond (if using).
Slow the mixer to low speed and add half of the dry ingredients. Beat until almost completely incorporated, but several white streaks remain. Add all of the buttermilk. Beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Use a spatula to fold together and make sure all of the wet and dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Fold in the mini chips.
Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake come out clean. Try not to over-bake the cake, as it’s dense and can quickly suffer from dryness. (In fact, mine was a little under cooked, making it taste like cookie dough).
Remove the cake from oven. Allow to rest in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While cake cools, make the frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Place butter in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add sugar and cocoa, mixing well. (You may need to add the milk, as it is a dry mixture) Stir in milk in portions, stirring each time. Add vanilla. Spread on cooled cake.
For the Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
1 bag mini semisweet chocolate chips
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Add beans to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Whip until beans are almost to a smooth puree. It’s ok if there are some beans that are not completely pureed. They’ll be well incorporated once they are beaten with the butter and sugar.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, sugar and bean puree. Beat on medium speed until butter and beans are well incorporated, about 3-5 minutes. Beans will break down and create a slightly soupy mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute between each addition. Beat in vanilla and almond (if using).
Slow the mixer to low speed and add half of the dry ingredients. Beat until almost completely incorporated, but several white streaks remain. Add all of the buttermilk. Beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Use a spatula to fold together and make sure all of the wet and dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Fold in the mini chips.
Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake come out clean. Try not to over-bake the cake, as it’s dense and can quickly suffer from dryness. (In fact, mine was a little under cooked, making it taste like cookie dough).
Remove the cake from oven. Allow to rest in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While cake cools, make the frosting.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Place butter in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add sugar and cocoa, mixing well. (You may need to add the milk, as it is a dry mixture) Stir in milk in portions, stirring each time. Add vanilla. Spread on cooled cake.
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