Phoenix is at about 1500 ft elevation. You wouldn’t think that is high enough to effect the length of time it takes for a cake to bake. And yet, it does. Sure, I could blame my oven but I have a thermometer and probe and it’s pretty spot on with the temperature, so it has to be something else.

Usually, this doesn’t bother me.

Usually, my daughter doesn’t text me to let me know she’s getting out of class 15 minutes early. And I was trying to squeeze in making the cake after my Board Meeting.

So I was pressed for time.

And when the time came for me to leave to pick up my daughter, the toothpick was still gooey. Chocolatey gooey, but gooey none the less. And me without a spare child in the house to watch the cake. Naturally I did what other cooks have done, and that was turn off the oven, wedge it open a crack, and leave.

When I returned the oven door had mysteriously been closed all the way but the cake was baked through. So while I know cakes do eventually cook in my over while I hover about (it takes about 30% longer), this time it did so while I wasn’t watching.

Especially as it was a new recipe made with low-gluten spelt flour. Here’s the recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/super-moist-chocolate-spelt-cake-379950