Reine de Saba

photo credit: epicurious

In honor of Julie & Julia opening in theatres today, I made Julia's French Reine de Saba. I give it three out of four forks. But in all honesty, I didn't get an unbiased taste of the recipe. I added coconut extract, omitted the ground almonds, substituted buttermilk for rum and sweetened the frosting. The tastebuds of the French have not embraced sugar quite as readily as the Americans! Or at least THIS American.

The cake is not a high riser. Nor is it light and fluffy but moderately moist and dense. It is a more sophisticated cake than one of my all-time favorite chocolate cakes. And I am rarely sophisticated (I consider french fries the creme' de la creme' of French cuisine).

But at least I'll be ready if Francine Adelais Capucine or Jacques de' eat da Eclair drop by.

So savor!