Nicknames and Dogs

Day 169.

How many names does your dog (cat, ferret, gerbil, toad, parrot, gecko, turtle) have?

My Chihuahua's name is Diego. But he answers to Diego, Digger, Digger Do, Lil Cheech, Yowie Wowie, Angel Food Cake, Do Dah Day, and Pound Cake.

Pound Cake was a result of weight gain, so we could no longer call him Angel Food Cake. He gets called Pound Cake when his weight is too high, and Angel Food Cake when he loses his exess. And sometimes he gets called Angel Pound Cake.

He was a stray, too, so Pound Cake has a dual meaning.

Today, I was puttering in the kitchen, trying to decide on a dessert for tonight. I decided to make a pound cake. I told my husband.

And Diego came running.

Does anyone else give their pets more than one name, or is it just my nutty crew?

Enjoy dessert!

Chocolate Pecan Pound Cake

What You Need:

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter at room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt (full fat is better for the cake, but use what you have)

How it's Done:

1. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between additions. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Now, alternate adding in the yogurt and the flour mixture. Beat well, scraping the bowl down as you do.
6. Pour batter over the nuts in the Bundt pan.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. This can take anywhere from 70 to 90 minutes.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes or so before inverting onto a plate.
9. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar, or make a glaze with milk and powdered sugar to drizzle on top.