This time it's going to stick. I've completed a draft of His Lordship's Last Wager and am well into the awful, tiring, dispiriting task of editing it. On the upside, having let enough time pass, I'm reading it like it's new to me and I do find parts that make me laugh aloud, so at least one of us finds it funny.

In compensation for the missed deadlines and long wait, here is a recipe for a not-too-sweet chocolate snack cake that is a proper afternoon reward for accomplishing whatever you find difficult:

Oven: preheat to 350
Butter a 8" round pan or line it with parchment and spray with non-stick oil stuff.

2/3 cup stout -I look for Chocolate stout, there is never enough chocolate in one's life.
10Tbls unsalted butter (one stick +2Tbls)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3cups all-purpose flour ( I sub some almond flour in)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large whole egg+ 1 yolk
2/3 cup sour cream
confectioner's sugar for dusting if you like

Bring butter and stout to simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder, whisk till smooth. Let cool slightly.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, set aside.
In second bowl, beat egg and yolk and sour cream with electric mixer--I use a hand mixer--to blend, then add stout-butter-cocoa mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine.
Add flour mix, beat 30 seconds on slowest speed. Fold batter with spatula until completely incorporated. Pour into pan.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.
Cool on rack for 10 mins. Run knife around to loosen from pan and turn out to cool completely.