From the depths of the Dragon's Decadence kitchens, your friendly local Goddess of Desserts presents... a Valve Corp creation!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI

~ Recipe ~

Chocolate Cake

- Ingredients -
Baking spray with flour to grease pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs

- Directions -
1. Heat the oven to 350F. Spray the bottom and sides of either one 13x9-inch pan or two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour.

2. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, stopping frequently to scrape batter from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape bowl. Pour batter into 13X9-inch pan or round pans; use a rubber spatula to scrape batter from bowl, spread batter evenly in pan and smooth top of batter. (If batter in round pans is not divided evenly, spoon batter from one pan to the other.)

3. Bake 13x9-inch pan 40 to 45 minutes, 9-inch round pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Cool 13x9-inch cake in pan completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Cool round cakes in pans 10 minutes, then remove onto cooling racks to finish cooling completely.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

- Ingredients -
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup Baker's Angel Flake Coconut
1 cup chopped pecans (roasted)

- Directions -
1. Put the one cup of pecans in the microwave for one minute. Then take them out and turn them over a few times with your hand and put them back in for another minute. The second time you take them out if they don't look done put them in for another minute, otherwise go to step two.

2. Find a good cutting board and knife. Take the large kitchen knife and chop the pecans into several pieces. Each pecan should be cut into about two to four pieces. Be careful not to chop them too finely.

3. Mix the following ingredients on a stove set on medium heat for 12 minutes:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

4. Once you are done stirring in the above ingredients add the coconut and roasted pecans. Cook for the remainder of the time previously mentioned.

5. Cool the frosting until it is firm and easy to spread.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for Cherries

-Ingredients-
1 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Frosting & Decoration

-Ingredients-
8 maraschino cherries
1 large white candle

-Directions-
1. For 13x9-inch cake, spread coconut pecan frosting over the top, using a metal spatula. For layer cake, place one layer, rounded side down, on a cake plate; using a metal spatula, spread 1/3cup of the frosting over the top. Add second later, rounded side up. Frost top and sides.

2. Place cherries in the appropriate places relative to the image above. Apply the vanilla frosting around the base of each cherry carefully.

3. Cut the candle to size if necessary, carve a small hole in the center and carefully press into cake. Press coconut pecan frosting around base to keep candle from falling.

Optional: Portal music! ^_^

Enjoy your portal themed cake. :3