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I only have one regret in life. It is called Babywise.
It is 2002 and we are pregnant with our first. We are gifted a book. Babywise. First-time expecting parents, we read the book like a bible, memorizing ideas for raising a healthy independent kid.
Our sweet girl is born. She is beautiful. She lovingly and trustingly gazes into our eyes as we breastfeed, burp, and play with her, every 4 hours, on the clock. At the end of each ritual, we carefully lay our infant down in her crib, quietly tip-toeing out of the room. As soon we close the door, our baby starts crying. I remember that soul-penetrating sound to this day.
Sometimes she cries for hours, while we lean against the door of her room, with our hands clasping our ears. For reassurance, I keep re-reading the page in the book that confirms that we are, indeed, on a path of doing everything to raise a healthy obedient human, as long as we don’t give in to her infant manipulation. Integrate your child into your life; don’t let her rule yours.
2021 and our second kid, now 15, calls us from Camp. He is crying to pick him up 7 days too early. He is miserable. I hear the pain in his heart but the Babywise voice in my ears goes on repeat. He needs to learn to persevere to learn to survive life.
I get off the phone with him; my heart is in knots. I remember that feeling oh so well. I ignore my motherly instincts and make myself go to sleep. In the morning, I wake up and so does my “gut”. I hear my boy’s call for help. The same call we ignored when his sister was a helpless infant. I need you! Please, help me!
5 minutes later, my now-ex-husband and I are in the car, with an 8-hour trip ahead of us, racing to pick up our hurting child while his sister cheers us on the phone, “Kiss him from me, mama and papa.” No. More. Regrets.
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Curly Vanka (Ванька кучерявый) cake
This is a regular version of the cake. For a Keto version, replace flour with almond flour 1-to-1. And Sugar with stevia (you will need 10 drops of stevia per each ½ cup sugar.) For Paleo, follow the Keto version and replace sour cream with vegan sour cream.
Ingredients
Cake layers
- 6 oz Sour Cream
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ¾ cup Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ tsp Vanilla
- 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
Frosting
- 1 ¾ Sour Cream
- ¾ cup Sugar
Ganache
- ⅓ cup Milk
- 4 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Butter
Directions
Cake layers
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine sour cream and vanilla.
- Combine baking soda and vinegar. Add to the sour cream mixture until combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 15 min over high speed until pale and thick.
- Combine eggs with sour cream mixture.
- Slowly add flour and mix to combine.
- Pour ½ into a foil-lined springform pan.
- Add cocoa powder to the remaining batter, stir to combine and pour into the 2nd foil-lined springform pan.
- Bake for 25-35 min (or until toothpick comes out clean.) Let the layers cool.
Frosting and Ganache
- For Frosting, beat the sour cream and sugar until well combined. Set aside
- For Ganache, simmer the first three ingredients until combined. Whisk in the butter. Let ganache cool.
Assembly
- Place vanilla cake layer on a prepared plate. Set aside.
- Cut the chocolate layer into uneven small 1-inch cubes.
- Dip each cube into the sour-cream mixture.
- Randomly arrange the cubes over the vanilla cake layer, in the shape of an ant hill.
- Pour ganache over the top of the cake. Refrigerate overnight. The cake tastes best the next day or the day after.
![](https://cuceesprouts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/untitled-4448.jpg)
Drink Pairing
Enjoy this beautiful natural local Camp with a slice of this cake.
![](https://cuceesprouts.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/untitled-4452.jpg)
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We all have fears of being bad parents. You are a great one.
Can’t wait to try this recipe
I just made it. It was perfect.
Delicious
This looks great