Yesterday as I was finalizing my grocery list my dear husband informed me it was “The Day of the Donut”. He said it with awe and longing. I was feeling rushed and told him to go to Dunkins if he wanted a damn donut. As I shopped, I was hit by a wave of remorse. I visited the pastry case and spied classic glazed donuts (alas no Krispy Kremes). I wanted something springy and fruity, the man wanted donuts. I decided to marry the two. Here we have a glazed donut, a lemony marscapone filling, berries marinated in a bit of sugar and Grand Marnier, and whipped cream. It’s a shortcake for the donut enthusiast. The hubby smiled and told me I am the best wife ever. Who could ask for more?

Like so many women, there are days when my desire for chocolate is nearly overwhelming. However, perhaps because I am a tad high maintenance, my cravings are not satisfied by a mere candy bar. When I crave chocolate I want something rich, decadent, and freshly baked, I want chocolate cake.

When one of these cravings coincided with finding the first of the year’s native strawberries I decided to combine the two, the result was the cake you see above. I made a chocolate cake from my personal culinary bible, The Joy of Cooking. I joined the two layers with a chocolate frosting and then spread a layer of frosting on the top of the cake. On top of that, I arranged blanket of fresh strawberry slices. Finally, I consulted the bible again for directions for my first attempt at a chocolate ganache. The ganache came out a bit more watery than I was hoping for, but the end result was actually pretty interesting, a rich chocolate glaze that revealed the strawberries. The result? Chocolate craving quenched.