Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

1 more night. In less than 24 hours, I’ll be living in a new city. I’m officially going to college. I can’t actually say that this reality has hit me yet. All my friends and family have been crying at the changes in all of our lives, but I think I’ve yet to realize the extent to which my life will be different. I’m excited, of course, but I think I’m not going to be fully aware until I’m actually there, in my new room, with new friends, in a new city, new state, and new school. Then, maybe I’ll realize it.

My life is changing dramatically, but I know it will be for the better. After an incredibly hard year, I can finally move on and start over. It’s bittersweet though, because there’s so much I’ll miss. It feels odd to be leaving everything behind, knowing when things will continue to change even in my absence. In a way, I feel like I’m abandoning my life, even though I know I’m really just moving on. It’s surreal, but I know the fact that my life is different will hit me sometime within the next few days.

In the meantime, as I sit here throwing my wardrobe into a suitcase, sitting on my bedroom floor, I try to cherish every moment I’ve had with old friends, family, and even brand new friends. These past few weeks have been packed full of memories, all of which will be packed right along with my t-shirts and earrings. One of those memories is sitting on my kitchen counters surrounded by my best friends, the girls that have been with me for the hard times, the good times, the stressful times and confusing times, reminiscing and eating this cake.

This cake is full of comfort and love and it’s a reminder of a cookie I’ve made with my best friend Paige. It’s the one thing she can make, so all my friends and I always cherish Paige’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Whenever I eat this cake from now on (and you can be sure I’ll be making it frequently) I’ll always think about the first time I made it, sitting with the most important people in my life surrounding me, as we all moved on to new chapters of our life. So, make this cake, share it with the ones you love, and cheers to changes, new friends, and new beginnings.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

For the Cake:

• 8 ounces chocolate chips
• 1/2 teas bourbon, Scotch, or favorite liquor
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon