Jam and Chocolate Doughnut Muffins

I don't like doughnuts. For some reason they give me this funny feeling in my throat (except for Krispy Kremes, something to do with their being baked first, perhaps). So it seems strange that this recipe from Taste.com.au should get me so excited. Maybe I like the IDEA of doughnuts. I mean, they're sweet, sugary and fried - how could I not like them? Whatever the reason, when I first came across this recipe I couldn't wait to make them. They just looked so darn good!

Chocolate Cake

After two baptisms and a birthday party, I thought I had finally started to get the hang of this catering-for-a-huge-group-of-people-thing (at least to the point where I might, possibly, be able to leave the kitchen for half an hour) when the birthday cake flopped. Suddenly, my carefully made plans, which involved an easy to prepare menu, were sabotaged by a new chocolate cake recipe which produced, well, not chocolate cake. More like a dark brown, stodgy... mess. Suddenly I was faced with having to make the cake from scratch (including the decorating) before the guests arrived at noon. All I can say is, thank you Julie Goodwin!