So I know that many of you are excited that I have made something every day this week. Well, don’t get used to it. 😛 Number one I have subs jobs next week, the 5th grade class that always has me, needs me back. Number two I was stuck at the apartment all week because my body felt the need to not have any red cells. At first they just dipped a little low, but then they went crazy low. Crazy low. And of course, no one knows why, just a whole lot of guessing going on. Ah, “practicing” medicine at its finest. They thought maybe I was internally bleeding, and with as graceful as I am who knows. 🙂 So I got CT scanned and ultrasounded and all the probes that one can be probed with. I’ve been the ultimate human pin cushion this week as well. Special. Oh, and number 3…I will eventually run out of things to ramble on about…but then again, with the way people act, maybe I won’t. 😛
And what’s worse is that none of them seem to appreciate my humor. When the doctor told me that a diet consisting mainly of carrots, hummus, crackers, gummy bears, and beer was not getting me the iron I need (yes, I am on an iron supplement), I corrected him and told him that sometimes I eat gummy colas and really I have been more of a Whipped Cream Vodka and Key Lime Soda girl over beer lately. He was not amused. Sigh. I do actually drink a smoothie every morning that is stuffed with spinach as well. I just hardly ever eat meat unless it is in bacon form. When they told me to rest, I joked and said, “so I shouldn’t participate in that 10K I signed up for this weekend?” Again, he was not amused. For the record, I was not signed up to run. I run when being chased only, and even then, I weigh my options. Who am I being chased by? Truthfully, if it’s a zombie, I’d prefer just to get it over with and have my brains sucked out rather than spend my life running from zombies, but that’s just me.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have 4% of my daily values (if I eat both of them) of iron, clearly a health food for me then. I figured if all I was doing was melting chocolate, why not start to melt down candy and use that instead in the place of where chocolate goes. So I thought I would try my hand at a flourless cake using them. Worked pretty well, though I think the Andes Mint version (you can just sub 4 ounces of those instead of peanut butter cups) I made way back in the day (but didn’t blog about for some reason) was better. But then again, I like mint better than peanut butter. If you are a peanut butter fan, you will enjoy this.
I’m off to train for my 10K and eat gummy bears. Have a lovely Saturday.
Peanut Butter Cup Flourless Cake
4 ounces chopped up Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (about 6 regular sized ones)
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 granulated cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
Chop peanut butter cups into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.
Top with more Reese’s and serve with ice cream. You need the ice cream to cut the richness. 🙂
Zazzy says
I’ve been waiting for this recipe all week! And now I’m snowed in. Won’t somebody air-lift me some peanut butter cups?
Felice says
Sounds like a balanced diet to me – gummy bears in one hand and hummus and crackers in the other, with a beer chaser. Have some people evolved to not have a funny bone? Geez. On a serious note I do hope that your health problems are minor and resolve themselves. Being a human pincushion is not all that it is cracked up to be.
I am definitely a Reese’s girl – especially the dark chocolate ones. Did you know that there is almost a black market for them in Australia since you can’t buy them there? Thank you for letting me know that two of them provides 4% of our daily values of iron. Who knew they were so good for you? I have to make this cake now because, after all, it is a health food 😉
Rosa says
That is an interesting diet… ;-p
That cake is terrific! Mmmmhhh…
Cheers,
Rosa
The Blue-Eyed Bakers says
We’re confused…your diet sounds simply superb to us. And this cake…ah this cake looks amazing…!
Mercedes says
I too, agree with your logic.
Katie Rose says
Oatmeal raisin cookies are my health food. I mean, it’s oatmeal, which is healthy, and then the raisins have lots of iron and good things. Just ignore all that butter and sugar when you are calculating nutritional content 😉
SarahK says
i’m drooling over that cake.
and boo to boring doctors. you would think they are poking, prodding, and checking out your body, the least they could do is laugh. maybe they just need a bit of this cake! have a great saturday 🙂
Fallon says
I think your humor is great! Maybe your doctor needs some gummi bears in his life. 😉
Lael Hazan says
I love your sense of humor and agree that sometimes the professionals “just don’t get it”. My Dr. recently asked if I had stress in my life and wasn’t amused when I replied, “no more than any other person in a third world country.” I too only run when chased, don’t tell me running bras work. Part of me goes one way and the others… flap sideways. Not my idea of a “fun” destressful work out. I think I’m going to join you in your balanced, iron rich diet.
Baking Soda says
I am convinced that doctors sign up to never laugh with patients throughout their career together with the Hippo-thing. (I like to think the hipppo thing so big they shove the not-laugh thing right under it and just say: sign here)
Reminds me of the iron pills and the *shudder* liver they made me eat as a teenager. Hand over a piece of that please!
Lynn says
Mmm, that looks delicious. Did you know that cacao nibs are actually a really good source of iron? And there’s a Dagoba dark (82% or something) bar that’s 40% of the daily value for iron. That’s my idea of iron supplementation.
CW says
LOOOVE peanut butter. Going to have to make this.
Low iron is no good. Take care of yourself!
Christina says
I used to inhale peanut butter cups when I was a kid. You’ve just brought me back to my childhood.
Love the photos. 🙂
Irene says
Your stamina to keep baking is amazing and inspirational! Your week is deja vu to me. I went through the same thing a couple of years ago. Still trying to grow my red blood cells. For some reason, cheesecake and cookies aren’t working. Maybe I am not eating enough of them???
Chelsey says
For the first time ever, I have everything on hand! Going to make these with my 3 year old this afternoon, he is going to love me (and you) because Peanut Butter cups are a once a year treat around here.
Drs don’t like my sense of humor either…but I sure like yours!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
I’d eat this. I don’t know why cake needs flour anyways, it’s perfectly delicious without it 😉
Janet Rudolph says
So glad to see this recipe. Can’t wait to try..and gluten free! Fabulous. Nothing like Reeses & Chocolate cake!
Joanne says
Ugh. Doctors. I know that’s weird coming from someone who is going to be one some day…but I don’t think I’m actually going to practice medicine, so I figure I can be “hypocritical”.
I love the idea of Reese’s as a health food. Bring on the cake!
breadchick says
I have no idea how your Dr could not be laughing as I was spitting coffee out onto the keyboard at your responses. Humorless git.
And now I’m going to have to strap ice skates on to get down the driveway and to the market to get peanut butter cups.
Betsy says
Do you do baked potatoes? I have found when I am low on iron that baked potatoes with the skin on does me a world of good– and they really do have lots of iron in them! (Also, my excuse for making potato skins tomorrow, even though we are not watching the game…)
Kyra says
Haha, i really liked this post, it was funny. Not your health problems, but the doctor with no sense of humor. I hope you’re feeling better!
BeckyS says
Hope you are feeling better!
Whipped Cream Vodka and Key Lime Soda? Well, there is one I have not tried. Try Cherokee Red (strawberry soda)!!!
How did the doctor keep a straight face? I am still laughing!
Desi says
At least you take your supplements. I am anemic as well but the supplements make me feel yucky too 🙁 I’m a terrible patient.
laurie says
love the zombie rant. love it. and i agree. why run?
Michael says
If it’s health food can I still eat it on Super Bowl day when I am having unhealthy food? Looks GREAT!
Laura says
that sounds like my kind of diet. There have been times I’ve had cake with diet coke for breakfast. Breakfast of champions, right? Anyway, when I was iron deficient, I took a ferrous sulfate supplement that helped. Good luck!
Elle says
ALl your described diet was missing was chocolate…and you took care of that here 🙂 People in general need to lighten up! LOVE your humor…that doctor missed a good laugh.
Hope the health problems resolve quickly…being a pincushion should be reserved for hedgehogs.
Allison says
When I saw this photo in my feedreader, I sternly thought to myself, “Do not click through, do not click through, do not…”
I clicked through.
And now I think I’m going to have to make this. Soon. Maybe as a V-Day present to myself. (Have I ever mentioned how much of a horrible weakness i have for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? Like… really, really bad. ~_^)
This looks ridiculously good. ^_^
Bridget says
“They thought maybe I was internally bleeding” is…kinda f’ed up. Geez. I hope they figure it out for real soon.
Melissa says
I saw the peanut butter cups in the picture and knew I’d be making this! My husband gave me a ton of Reese’s cups in my Christmas stocking, most are gone, but the rest will be used in this recipe!
Sobaka says
Chiming in late… hope you’re feeling better. In case it helps – I was eating a lot like you and taking iron supplements and eating a 100% iron cereal and eating spinach and still had low blood iron. After trying a few things I found that a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses daily helps a lot. Also, I eat about a one-inch cube of beef 4 days per week. After that I’m free to get back to cake and chocolate. Maybe it will work for you. Take care.