It Was Me All Along: A Memoir (28 page)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans with butter and line the pan bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the paper. Dust the pans with flour, and tap out the excess. Alternatively, for cupcakes, line two standard muffin tins with paper liners and spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the brewed coffee and stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until smooth and shiny. Add both sugars and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, followed by a third of the cocoa mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat the process twice. Continue to beat on low until the batter is fully mixed, about 20 seconds more.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes (18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes).

Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan, invert the cakes onto the wire racks, and peel off the paper liners. Flip the cakes back over and let cool completely.

Put one cake layer on a plate and spread the top with 1 cup of the chocolate buttercream. Put the second layer on top and spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. The frosted cake can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

In a medium bowl, whisk together by hand the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until fluffy, about 1 minute.

Gradually add the sugar mixture, 1 cup at a time.

Add the milk and vanilla and continue to beat on medium-high until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. If it is too thick, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

The frosting will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Thank you, first and foremost, to the readers of
CanYouStayforDinner.com
. I wrote this book for you and am forever grateful to each and every one of you.

Ashley Phillips, this book would not exist without you. Thank you for every single painstaking hour you spent on it, and for loving me the whole way through. You are truly wonderful. Thank you, Doris Cooper, for taking a chance on me. To all of the kind, generous, and hard-working people at Clarkson Potter and Random House who took part in making this book a reality—especially Pam Krauss, Rica Allannic, Terry Deal, Ashley Tucker, Stephanie Huntwork, Heather Williamson, Erica Gelbard, and Carly Gorga—I am indebted to you. Thank you thank you thank you.

Steve Troha, thank you, 1. for believing in me, 2. for all of your dedication, and 3. for being a dear friend.

Melissa McMeekin, you started this thing. I won’t be able to pay you back, but I’ll always know it was you who helped me find this path.

Leslie Meredith, the fact that you even picked up the phone to speak with me,
wow
. Thank you for helping me to believe that I had something worth writing. I’m grateful to you.

Mom and Anthony, you two are my history, my heart. I love you as much as I know how.

Daniel, I love you more than anyone or anything, except the woman who birthed me (see Mom, above). I would not be here without you.

Dad, you did your best. I know that now. I love you. I miss you every day.

PJ, thank you for loving me unconditionally. You are the greatest dad I’ve ever known. I love you twice as much as I’m capable of expressing in words.

Kate Fernandes, seventeen years and we’re still in love. Thank you for being my chosen sister. My life’s partner. I love you endlessly.

Sabrina Peduto, I never imagined I’d find a best friendship like ours. The greatest years of my life have been with you. Thank you for unconditionally loving me.

Nicole, Katie, and C, thank you for accepting me and loving me as a part of your family—not just now, but always. I could not have asked for better sisters.

Claire Mitchell, I couldn’t have imagined a better wife for my brother. You are a gift to our family. Thank you for loving us even though we’re all crazy.

The Dewey Family, thank you. I can’t quite tell you how much I love each of you (especially you, Michael) for letting me be a part of your family. Also, Mike, thank you for writing my college entrance application letter. Please never tell anyone about that.

Barnaby Dorfman, thank you for always believing in me. Thank
you for teaching me all that you could about blogging, about social media, about business, about life.… You are a true mentor and friend.

Sheri Wetherell and my old Foodista clan, thank you for every opportunity. You are my West Coast family.

Lori Kuzmanovic, my life changed when I met you six years ago. You gave me one hell of a chance. I met Leo! More than that, you and I now have this beautiful, amazing friendship. And I love you, always.

Camille Willemain, thank you for all that you’ve taught me. For the unending and unconditional love. For all the memories we’ll always have.

Mr. & Mrs. F, my second set of parents, thank you. For all the dinners, all the drives, all the times I came to your house and never left. I love you both more than you know.

Leonardo DiCaprio, thank you for that one time when you humored me during
Shutter Island
. And for the photo. I’d post it here but, honestly, I look terrible.

To all the people I mentioned in the book, thank you for being a part of my life, my story.