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This is much like the Microwave Low-Carb Orange Cream Cake posted previously. Please see that recipe for photos and more detailed directions for a similar cake. I apologize for the exotic ingredients, but if you’ve been eating low carb for a while, you probably have most of these ingredients on hand. If not, I’ll detail some possible substitutions after the recipe.

Microwave Low-Carb German Chocolate Cake
2 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon coconut flour
4 tablespoons Splenda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (use the 1/4 tsp measure twice instead of getting another spoon dirty)

Directions:

1. Melt butter and oil in large coffee mug or 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup in microwave.
2. Add dry ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients.
4. Mix well.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
6. Remove HOT container from microwave, remove plastic wrap carefully, and let stand for 1 minute.
7. Turn onto plate; cut in half and serve.

As written, each serving contains 341 calories, 32.9 g fat, 10.0 g total carbohydrate, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 4.3 g protein.

The following substitutions should still result in a similar cake, though the flavor will vary and the nutritional information, of course, will be different: Any oil, including more butter, may be substituted for the virgin coconut oil. Any flour can be substituted for the coconut flour, though I suspect you’ll need to use 1.5 or 2 tablespoons to get a similar texture. Conversely, you can also use more shredded coconut and omit the flour, but the texture will be different. Sugar or stevia can be substituted for the Splenda (though I’m not fond of stevia with chocolate). Milk, cream, or plain yogurt may be substituted for the sour cream. It is possible that coconut milk could be substituted for the coconut oil and sour cream, but I haven’t tried that, so I don’t know how much to use.

I’ll likely tackle red velvet cake next, though almond pound cake might be the next recipe to go public because I think that one will be easier to develop. I’m still having a lot of fun with these little cakes!

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of microwave cake recipes going around, sporting names like 5-minute cake, 3-minute cake, and even a 1-minute muffin! It takes me longer than 5 minutes to make all of them. However, they’re easily adaptable to low carb. And the resulting cake is small enough that you can eat all if it with minimal guilt (though I consider them to be 2-serving cakes).

These recipes are incredibly friendly to substitution. For the almond flour, you can substitute regular flour or another nut flour or, I’m told, even protein powder or flaxseed. You can substitute coconut oil or another fat for the butter. You can use real sugar or stevia instead of Splenda. You can try different flavors. (I’m working on German Chocolate Cake next.)

I’ve been playing with the basic recipes and have come up with one of my own. I’ve been a bit irritated by how many utensils I have to use to make these cakes, so I’ve streamlined that some, too.

Microwave Low-Carb Orange Cream Cake

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons almond flour
4 tablespoons Splenda
1 egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Hardware:

Cutting board (to cut butter and keep counter clean)
A 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup (I am told a large coffee mug also works well)
Knife (to cut butter, aid in transferring sour cream from spoon to Pyrex, and cut the cake in half)
Fork (for mixing)
1/4 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon measuring spoons
Plastic wrap
Microwave

Directions:

1. Cut 3 tablespoons of butter from the stick of butter.
2. Melt butter in Pyrex container. The goal is to heat it enough to melt it completely but to allow it to cool some before the egg is added, so it doesn’t cook the egg on contact.
3. Add almond flour, Splenda, egg, sour cream, baking powder, and orange extract. Use the 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon twice to get enough orange extract, rather than getting another spoon dirty.
4. Mix well. If you don’t mix it well enough, you will have streaks of egg in your cake. It should look like the picture below. Only not as blurry.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove hot Pyrex container from microwave; remove plastic wrap, taking care not to steam your hand; and let cake stand for 1 minute before upending onto a plate.

6. Cut in half and serve.

As written, each serving contains 307 calories, 29.1 g fat, 7 g total carbohydrate, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 6.0 g protein.

I plan to try this cake with stevia soon, as I prefer it to Splenda. As I said before, I’m working on a German chocolate version, with red velvet on the distant horizon (though I’ll likely leave out the “red”). If you try this or a similar recipe, I’d love to know about your experience!

Eating Crow

Lord, of course it is wisdom that I seek.
Of course I seek to grow.
I want my heart to grow more meek.
– But I always end up eating crow.

I want to conform to Your will,
but that row is tough to hoe.
I always end up eating my fill
Of that awful black bird, crow.

I’ve had it boiled and chicken fried;
I’ve had crow fricassee;
I’ve had my crow in black crow pie;
I’ve had roasted crow with brie.

Lord, if you would be so kind,
give me a new crow recipe;
my tongue is faster than my mind,
faster than my eyes can see.

I’ve had it at the church potluck
I’ve had it at family dinners, too.
Oh, Lord, for once could I please have duck
and avoid my tongue-fashioned stew?

My fingers also fly too fast
Immortalizing my flaws in cyberspace
Canned crow, frozen — it’s preserved to last.
– I’ll be eating it all my earthly days.

Only You can save me from my fate,
my life as an avivore.
Purge my wrongness, my pride and my hate,
let me show it is You I adore.

I’ve had my crow boiled and chicken fried;
I’ve had it with a side of greed;
I’ve had my crow in black crow pie.
I’m stuffed to bursting with need.

Only You can save me from my fate,
Only You, the One I adore.
Purge my wrongness, my pride and my hate,
Make me holy evermore.

– A.M. Otwell, 2008

Orchids
A.M. Otwell, 2008
12 x 36 inches
Original $450

This painting is based on this photograph by the very talented Dawne Olson, who graciously gave her permission for me to use her image as a reference.

In other news, Nick and Lark was featured in the Impressionist Art group at Redbubble. It happened a few days ago, and I was slow to report it, but it should still be on the front page of that group for a few more days.

There’s still free shipping (through October 30) going on at RedBubble for a few more days, so if you like this painting, now would be a good time to buy a print!

The Reluctant Christian Mourns

When I, each time anew,
shed tears as bread and wine are blessed.
Am I sad for You
or for my gnawing emptiness?

Do I cry because You suffer
You perfect Lamb, unblemished life,
or do I cry from self importance,
too self aware and full of strife?

I thirst!
I hunger for Your love.
I am too well versed in my need.

I cry for my lonely destitution
– I also cry because you bleed.

Inseparable, my joy and grief,
my love embedded in my need.
O Lord, please make whole my belief,
purify thought, word, and deed.

– A.M. Otwell, 2008

The Reluctant Christian Reflects

Must it all be to your glory?
Is there not one part of this story
I can call my own
if I’m to claim my wretchedness
and confess
your glory?

Can’t I have but one bright spot,
supply one tiny beam of my own,
a flashlight to illumine the sun?

Ah,
I see.

But I still am not content
to be some silver serving tray
reflecting that which quenches.

I am afraid of that which wrenches
self from self, me from mine
. . . that which refines.

– A.M. Otwell, 2008

The Reluctant Christian at Table

Please take this back to the kitchen.
It is too rare.
Warm, yes,
but raw.

Unsuspecting, I pierced it with my fork;
red spread over my plate,
bathing everything in blood.
Please replace it all,
the side of faith,
the helping of hope.
You can leave out the gratitude garnish
– I never eat it, anyway.

Yes, I know
some think the blood enriches the flavor.

It does not tempt
my palate.

Please take it back.
Bring me something neater, if less divine,
to go with my wine.

I ordered my love well done.

– A.M. Otwell, 2008

I got an email from RedBubble this morning that they’re offering free shipping for the next week (until 23:59 on October 30 (GMT)). Just use coupon code “friendsandfamily” during checkout!

So, if you’ve been thinking about buying some of my art for a while or are ready to get started on your holiday shopping, now’s a good time! Click here to visit my bubblesite.

While I’m on the subject, I’ll also remind you that my original art is available here, and would also make a fantastic addition to your home or a lovely holiday gift!

In other news, I’ve got a few poems “percolating,” and am breaking in a couple of new low-carb dessert recipes. (I finally got bored with the meat and potatoes more meat diet that I’ve been on for a while.) I haven’t gotten back to my neglected orchid painting, but I intend to as soon as I have a work day that ends when I still have some natural light (or a day off would do).

Dogwood Tree
A.M. Otwell, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
10 x 10 inches, gallery wrapped
Original $400

I finished this up last night. The square format and small size don’t really lend themselves to the types of prints available on RedBubble, so I’ve just made the original available; no prints this time.

This was from a reference photo I took earlier this year at Lake Oconee near Wallace Dam. The reference photo had a lot more white in it (the sky, the far bank) that competed with the blossoms, so I had to make a lot of changes. When I get this far from the “real” photo, it sometimes feels like I’m walking a tightrope and that I might lose my balance and end up with a not-very-good painting, but I’m pretty happy with the result this time around.

While I’ve been painting, I’ve been listening to a beautiful piece of music, Ave Generosa, over and over again, trying to learn it before the choir I just joined sings it Sunday morning. I haven’t been in a choir in a LONG time, and I’m really rusty at reading music, much less trying to sing in Latin! It’s so beautiful, though. Embedding has been disabled, but you can hear it on YouTube here. I’m not sure if the viewer can “see” any of the music in the painting, but I think this painting and that music are forever intertwined in my mind.

And, of course, it’s September 11. I was remiss in preparing a blog post for today, but I have NOT forgotten the day or those who died, and I am grateful for the heroic responses of emergency personnel that day and every day, as well as the soldiers who serve our country and protect our freedom. God has blessed this country richly with heroes, and I pray that He continues to bless the USA.

Lantana
A.M. Otwell, 2008

Cards and prints are available here.