Today at the end of what should be Pippa’s 15th birthday I feel I have more questions than ever.  Most of them are wondering and searching for answers that will never be.  Wonder at how Pippa, the 15 year...

Today at the end of what should be Pippa’s 15th birthday I feel I have more questions than ever.  Most of them are wondering and searching for answers that will never be.  Wonder at how Pippa, the 15 year old teenager, would celebrate her birthday?  Wonder at what subjects Pippa, the 15 year old school girl, would have chosen this year?  Wonder at what sports Pippa, the 15 year old athlete, would be playing?  Wonder at what Pippa, the 15 year old young lady, would be like.  How tall would she be?  What clothes would she be wearing?  Would her friends be the same as four years ago or would she have new ones?  Would she have a part time job?  Would she have spent endless summer days at the beach?  Would her hair still be long?

Why??????

Another day and another birthday passes though and I have no answers.  Not a single one.  I know Pippa the 11 year old. Pippa the 15 year old only exists in my imagination with her future never to be told.

Pippa was famous for making chocolate mud cakes on birthdays.  Or for Easter.  Or anytime she thought would be a good time for chocolate mud cake!  She was often asked for our recipe.  So I thought that on her birthday, I would make and share her recipe for chocolate mud cakes – most often topped with a Malteser.

Pippa’s Muddy Mud Cake(s)

250g butter, chopped

250g dark chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup caster sugar

20ml whiskey

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 1/4 cups self raising flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 160Sift flour and cocoa togetherMelt butter in a medium saucepanAdd chocolate, sugar, whiskey and hot waterStir over low heat until chocolate is just melted and mixture is smoothGradually beat flour and cocoa into chocolate mixture using a wooden spoonAdd eggs and vanilla and beat until well combinedPour into a buttered and lined 24 cm tin (or cup cake patty papers or mini cupcake papers)Bake for approximately 50 mins or until a skewer comes out almost clean (shorter if smaller cakes)Stand in cake tin for 10 mins before turning on a wire rack to coolIce with chocolate ganache and top with a Malteser! Mud Cakes but no Birthday GirlEaster Mud Cakes, 6 years ago….

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