Marble Molasses Pound Cake

"Don't overestimate the decency of the human race." - H. L. Mencken

Every once in a while, I receive a phone call from a certain someone that annoys the crap out of me. It's just one specific person that thinks he still knows how to push my buttons. Do you have someone like that in your life? For most people, it's an ex, or a bill collector, or an in-law. In my life, it's unfortunately exhibit Z: a person out there that has no polite category, but one that can only be described by vulgarity which I won't elaborate on now. Anywho, whenever that person calls, it reminds me of how fucked up (pardon the French) people can be. One minute, you're trusting someone with everything, every secret, every worry, every good moment, every sad one, etc. You catch the drift. You feel as if there's a deep connection there, but then over the course of time, things happen that end the relationship or friendship. Then, all hell breaks loose. Words are said, revenge may take place, atomic bomb fights occur. What does that end up in? Pure annoyance. Those people turn into a kind of parasite, one that thrives on your downfall, on your weaknesses, on pissing you off. In going with the quote, those parasites lose all their decency and along with it their right to be called human. Why should we put up with people like that? How do we benefit? Are they helping us in any way? No, probably not. They're probably just aiding in the loss of patience and money. So you know what? I declare today "Goodbye Parasite" day. Me estoy purgando. I forgot how to translate it literally, but it basically means I'm deworming myself. Did any of you see this year's MTV VMA's? Well, if you did, you may be figuring out what I'm going to say next. In the words of Kanye West:

Let's have a toast for the douche bags.
Let's have a toast for the assholes.
Let's have a toast for the scumbags.
Every one of them that I know.
-Runaway
Marble Molasses Pound Cake
adapted from: Southern Cakes: Sweet & Irresistible Recipes For Everyday Celebrations

"I always thought marble cake was a fifties twist on the familiar layer cake, but I was wrong. The custom of swirling two contrasting shades and flavors of batter into a marbled design dates back to the pound cakes of the 1800s. Molasses or another kind of syrup often provided the color and flavor, boosted by a generous hand with spices, which were always freshly ground. The resulting cake is delicious as well as gorgeous. Getting the swirls and whirls just right is an extra pleasure for the cook."

serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup salted butter, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup whole milk
3 tbsp molasses
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Directions:
1) Heat the oven to 350F. Generously grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, line the bottom of the pan with waxed or parchment paper, and flour the pan.
2) Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.
3) In a large bowl, beat the butters with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat to combine the ingredients well. Add the beaten eggs and continue mixing until the mixture is light, fluffy, and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop several times to scrape down the bowl.
4) Add about a third of the flour mixture, and then about half of the milk, beating at low speed after each addition just long enough to make the flour or the milk disappear into the batter. Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and then the last of the flour in the same way.
5) Scoop out about a third of the batter into a medium bowl, and add the molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Stir with a wooden spoon or fork to mix everything into the batter well.
6) Quickly add both batters to the pan, a few tablespoonfuls at a time, alternating between the plain and spiced batters. Run a table knife through the batter in a figure-eight pattern to swirl the batters together. Bake at 350F for about 1 hour, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly at the center, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7) Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack or a folded kitchen towel for about 10 minutes. Use a table knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn out the cake onto a wire rack or a plate, remove the paper carefully, and cool completely, top side up.