That lonely bag of chocolate powder is often ignored when you've got a sweet tooth, left on the shelf while the chocolate bar provides instant gratification. But this time, try leaving the candy bars behind and using powdered cocoa from the Oakland neighborhood to make a delicious Devil's Food Cake. Not all chocolate cakes have to be heavy and rich, this one feels very season appropriate with its fluffy texture, which incidentally goes tremendously well with the violets and lemons that are so readily available in many local gardens this time of year. Here's to a match made in heaven!

Mix up this cake for a March potluck, or to surprise your special somebody. My favorite part is being casual with the decorating part. Or course you could lather on some lemon curd layers, or add a robe of chocolate ganache, but I like simple powdered sugar, extremely fine meyer lemon slices (use a mandoline if you have one), and candied violets. The video below will show you one way to make them, plus a couple other spring meal ideas.

There are so many great places nearby to find good chocolate. But chocolate, like olive oil and rare spices, are one of my favorite souvenirs to bring home from my travels. I've got a mini collection from recent trips: Bernachon from Lyon, France; Theo from Seattle; and a smidgen left from Jacques Torres in New York... When you're in the Bay Area you may be tempting to catch the Ferry across the Bay to San Francisco, but you definitely don't need to do that unless to enjoy the ride!

Here are some places to get the powdered stuff around here:
Michael Mischer, Grand Avenue

Xox Truffles, Montclair Village

Bittersweet Chocolate Café, Rockridge

Charles Chocolates, Emeryville

And here are some great places to sample handmade chocolate and truffles:

Oakland Chocolate, online

Barlovento Chocolates, farmers markets and online

Edible Love Chocolates, Claremont near Oakland in Berkeley

And here's my stand-by Devil's Food Cake Recipe:
Preheat oven at 350, butter three cakes pans (I usually freeze two of them instead of making a layer cake but its up to you!)
Make strong coffee or espresso and measure 1 ¾ cups and let it cool
Sift 1 ¾ cups organic white flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 ½ tsp baking powder and ¾ tsp salt into a small bowl
Beat together two sticks of room temperature butter, 1 ½ cups white sugar, ½ confectioners sugar until fluffy
Mix cooled coffee with 1 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa until blended
Beat in 2 room temp. eggs, one at a time
Add coffee mixture and dry ingredients into fluffed butter alternately with a rubber spatula
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean, cool cakes, and decorate as desired