Now before you go and say it’s a gimmick…it’s not. I assure you that I have lost 7 pounds in just two and a half days! How you ask? Just wake up with an abscessed tooth and you too can lose up to 7 pounds in no time.
I felt kind of icky all day on Thursday and my tooth hurt a little but I have dental pain from time to time so I ignored it. I got a little feverish around 5 pm and laid down to sleep it off. I woke up 45 minutes later with a horrific amount of tooth pain and a lump about the size of a tangerine sticking out the side of my mouth. I call my dentist but they closed at 2:30 on Thursdays. And are not open on Fridays. And since I am a new patient (I go to sedation dentists because I am a wimp with dental phobia) they will not see me for emergencies (can I tell you just how lame this is). (Insert really bad language here).
So up I get on Friday morning to head to Urgent Care to get some antibiotics as this tooth is so not waiting until Monday, in hopes of getting in to the dentist. They make me sign a wavier saying that my insurance may not cover it, whatever, just get me some antibiotics people!!!
I get in, the Physician assistant tells me he wont give out any pain killers for dental needs, just Ibuprofen. I told him I would pass on that since I had 800mg Ibuprofen at home. He told me that should work fine. Um, what the hell do you think I have already been taking and NOT working. So I got antibiotics and NO pain killers.
It has been a craptastic weekend let me tell you. The only sleep I get is when my body passes out from sheer exhaustion/pain. I pretty much can eat nothing. I have survived on extra mushy Stove Top stuffing Chicken flavor (move over Jared and the Subway diet, here comes Peabody and the Stove Top diet)!
Yesterday in trying to distract myself I decided to tweak a recipe I already had on here. I combined a double caramel cake and added some orange to it and this time added orange mascarpone mousse in between the layers. Even though it is multi step it sadly didn’t distract me in the least…but at least I got some cake out of the deal. Which of course I couldn’t really eat…but I did get down some of the mousse.
Wish me luck in getting into the dentist tomorrow!!! UPDATE: Got in today. My dentist was really annoyed that the Urgent Care guy wouldn’t give me anything for the pain…that makes two of us! So now I have pain meds. Hopefully I can get some sleep now.
Orange Caramel Cake with Orange Mascaprone Mousse and Caramel Icing
Orange Caramel Cake
1/3 cup plus 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
¼ cup boiling water
¾ cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 ½ tsp baking powder
zest and juice of one small navel orange
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Orange Mascarpone Mousse (recipe below)
Caramel Frosting (recipe below)
Melt the 1/3 cup sugar in a heavy skillet, stirring constantly until deep-brown syrup is formed – a process called caramelization. Remove from heat and slowly stir in boiling water, being careful that steam does not burn your hand. Set syrup aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 375F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, place parchment paper in the bottoms, then grease and flour the bottoms and sides. I used four 4 ½ -inch diameter spring form pans.
Cream butter in bowl of electric mixer. Add 1 ¼ cups sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is well-incorporated. Stir in 4 TBSP of the reserved syrup.
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Combine milk, juice, zest, and vanilla.
Add flour mixture to the batter alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
Divide batter evenly among the two prepared pans and bake 25 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It is about the same cooking time for both the larger and the smaller pans. Just watch if you are using the smaller pans.
Remove pans from oven and let stand about 10 minutes, then turn out cakes onto wire rack, peel off paper and cool completely.
To assemble cake:
Cut each round horizontally in half (if using the 9-inch rounds, if using the smaller leave alone). Stack one layer on top a cake round or plate. Spread mousse onto layer (about ¾ cup just depends on how much you like, you will have plenty of mousse to work with). Stack another layer on top of mousse. Again, cover that layer with mousse. Stack with top layer. Apply caramel icing to top of cake. Allow it to creep down the sides. Keep applying until icing is used up.
You will have an extra layer (if you didn’t mess up like I often do), mousse left over and maybe icing. Just top your layer with mousse and icing and eat it before anyone knows there was extra.
Caramel Icing
3 cups (light) brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup plus 2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
½ stick (4 TBSP) butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix sugar and half and half in a heavy saucepan and cook, stirring over low heat until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. If lacking a thermometer, check doneness by dropping a tiny bit of syrup into a cup of cold water.
When the syrup can be gathered up in fingers and will almost hold its shape, it has reached the soft-ball stage.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter, then let syrup cool.
Add vanilla and beat until icing reaches spreading consistency.
Orange Mascarpone Mousse
2 eggs, separated
4 TB sugar
4 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
5 ounces heavy cream
2 tsp. powdered gelatin + 2 TBS water
zest and juice of one medium navel orange
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, stir and let sit to bloom.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the sugar, add egg yolks and whisk until well incorporated.
Heat the gelatin for about 10 seconds in the microwave and quickly whisk it in the mascarpone batter. Add the orange juice and zest.
Whip the egg whites until stiff, fold into the mascarpone mixture.
Whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, and fold into the mascarpone.
Mousse recipe adapted from Tartelette
Amanda @ Fake Ginger says
Oh my gosh, poor you. My mother-in-law just had to have a tooth pulled because of the same problem. Hopefully yours isn’t that extreme.
Your cake looks lovely! I’m glad you got to enjoy some of the mousse.
the projectivist says
good luck at the dentist.
it’s never as bad as you think it’s going to be, and you’ll feel so much better after you’ve been.
Foodess says
Hahah Peabody and the Stovetop diet. LOL!
I hope it goes as smoothly and painlessly as possible!
My tummy just rumbled audibly in response to that last photo… with the dripping caramel icing… OMG!
Tracey says
Sorry you’ve been suffering. I hope you get relief tomorrow!
Your cake looks delicious, as always!
One Particular Kitchen says
Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry about your tooth… dental issues are the WORST.
I gotta tell you, though, I believe that cake would distract me from just about anything. Gorgeous!
Rosa says
I’m sorry to hear about your tooth and suffering :-(…
This cake looks really beautiful and so irresistible! A delightful treat!
Cheers,
Rosa
Sandie says
I feel for you—tooth pain is horrible and while I’ve never had an abscessed tooth, I can certainly empathize with what you must be going through.
I can’t believe you were able to bake and blog with all that pain. At least it was a distraction, as you mentioned…
Feel better soon!
Elyse says
This cake looks absolutely divine. I’m just sorry that the glory of this cake isn’t enough to make your horrible tooth pain go away. Good luck at the dentist tomorrow! Here’s hoping they cure the problem, give you lots of good meds, and some painkillers for goodness sake. Since when does urgent care not give out pain killers like candy?! How ridiculous. Feel better soon!
sara says
Ouch! I hope you’re in to the dentist and feeling much better very soon. The cake does look amazing!
Culinarywannabe says
You poor thing! That’s so awful. Hey, at least you can enjoy wearing your skinny jeans.
clumbsycookie says
Dental pain is such a pain!!! Poor Peabody! Good luck today, hope you can eat that cake pretty soon!
Caitlin says
Yuck! I’m not sure that’s the sort of diet I’d be excited about… Hope you get into the dentist and get it fixed soon! The sooner it’s fixed, the sooner you can actually try that cake – it looks wonderful.
Alexandra says
Oh my gosh, I know how you feel with dentists! I hate them. Mine always speaks to me in spanish even though I constantly tell him I don’t understand a word he’s saying (he thinks I’m spanish because of my hispanic last name).
That cake looks amazing. I might try to make it sometime this week as a sweet treat for the family.
VeggieGirl says
Hang in there with the tooth pain, dear Peabody!! You know you can email me anytime for extra support – wish I could help ease the pain!!
Natalie says
feel better, Peabody! i’m having dental drama, too- new dentist with crazy prices! dental care should really be free, if you ask me.. i’m sure you’d agree!
Kate says
O man, that is horrible! I remember when I was in high school and one of my friends got mono and lost a ton of weight, and I actually wanted to have mono because of that. I think I’ll pass on the toothache though. I can’t believe you baked something you couldn’t eat! You are a better person than me. I don’t make anything that I don’t think I’ll be eating.
Jenny says
I just had the same thing and I lost the tooth and had to get a bridge put in – expensive and a great diet! I hope your situation isn’t as severe. Good luck.
joey says
Oh no! Toothache is the worst Good luck with the dentist and hope you feel better real soon!
Fantastic cake though!
ingrid says
That stinks! Hope all goes well today and your up and about eating all these goodies that you create!
~ingrid
BMK says
OMG that is horrible. I hope by now you have already gotten to a dentist. I’m impressed you were able to make such a beautiful cake in the midst of feeling so bad. I would be finding a new dentist and a new new urgent care clinic. He should have at least given you a prescription for enough pain killers to get you to Monday and your dentist.
megan says
I’m really sorry about your tooth but since you cant eat the cake, can you send it my way?
colleen says
So sorry you had to go through that! And WOW to distracting yourself by BAKING! I would curled up on the couch complaining!
Sara: Our Best Bites says
I’m sorry but I’m so busy drooling at this cake that I can’t even comment on your dental woes! That looks SO good.
Jillian says
I am so very sorry for your tooth pain. It truly is the worse pain imaginable.
Sue says
OMG I truely feel for you..I HATE the dentist (guess I got the phobia too!)I need something to calm me down just to get my teeth cleaned. Hope you are feeling better. Your cake looks amazing. I for one am not surprised you were able to bake with all that pain because hey.. You are a Hockey Player and they know how to play or in your case bake with pain. Good luck today..love your site!
Shawnda says
Well, that royally sucks! Good luck getting into the dentist and getting some meds.
And I think you totally should run with the Stove Top Diet idea. Just throw in the word “points” every other sentence and you’ve got a money maker
Joelen says
Hope you feel better soon and your appt with the dentist goes well! This cake looks ridiculously gorgeous and I’m a sucker for caramel!!
Mellisa W. says
I LOVE Stove Top Stuffing! I makes a great snack. Hope all goes well.
Katrina says
Um, I think I’ll stick with another form of diet. I’ll start tomorrow, yeah, yeah, that’s it!
Hope your toothy issues are well taken care of.
Oh, and YUMMMMM! to the cake.
cindy says
sorry to hear about your tooth…i hate dental pain and dental work! the cake looks fantastic though, probably much better to you than stovetop at the moment.
Lang says
Abscessed tooth? That’s a reasonable excuse. It’s a little harder to explain to folks that my wife and I have just entered into a voluntary fast… No double caramel cake for us!
Cassie says
I wish you the best getting into the dentist right away, and I hope that the fix is quick and as pain free as possible!
Lynn says
Oh, yuck! Nothing fun about an abscessed tooth. Hope you get it fixed quickly. I’ll keep that tip for the stovetop stuffing diet in mind in case I ever really, really want to lose 7 lbs.
CookiePie says
Beautiful cake!! And hope you feel better quick!
pinkstripes says
Oh no! You’re still in pain? Hopefully the issue will be resolved soon.
I can’t believe you made that beautiful cake while in agony. It looks delicious.
nina says
You know what I find so amazing is that tooth ache almost always hits you on a weekend and no freakin’ dentist works over weekends……The cake has me drooling here!!
Maria says
I am so sorry! That is NOT a fun weekend, at all! I hope you can find a dentist and some meds!! Take it easy…The cake looks fabulous. I hope you can eat something sweet soon:)
snooky doodle says
Surely no diet works as fast Poor you hope you feel much better now and that you can enjoy that delicious cake. It looks amazing
dawn says
I saw that dreaded word ‘dentist’ and was going to click away from your website as I hate, hate the dentist. I am a huge baby, and needles are the devil. But I stayed, because I know the pain is insane and feel for ya, I do. I would not bake with tooth pain, so I don’t know how you managed to pull this masterpiece off so well. Hope the tooth was saveable, if that’s a word?
MyKitchenInHalfCups says
Tell me you got into the dentist . . . the crazy part of what you can and can’t get done and how incredibly dense, no just downright dumb some people can be.
Hope you now have antibiotics, pain killers and are feeling relief!
thereddeer says
That sounds incredibly painful!! You poor thing – I hope you have gotten into the dentist now.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I’m so dentist phobic that I could barely read this post. I hope that by now you have many, many drugs and whatever treatment will make this go away.
Debbie says
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I went through something similar several years back (I am petrified of dentists to begin with) and it was a whole week before the tooth was pulled. When it was pulled, I asked for the darn thing, took it home, got a hammer, and pummeled it down to a powder in my driveway. I kid you not. That tooth had bothered me on and off for 20 years!!! I was relieved when it was finally gone! Hope all went well for you….
Tiffany says
I so feel you. A few weeks back I had what I thought was an abcessed tooth (I’ve had a few before, and it felt just the same). We switched our dental insurance in January and hadn’t set up with a new dentist yet…and I’m pregnant. NO ONE would see me. My OB called in pain pills, and thankfully the pain settled down after a few days. I finally got in to a dentist two weeks later, and it was a bruised ligament!!!! But I was just as irate as you…dental pain is NOT a joke! I don’t know why it isn’t taken more seriously.
timhenk says
That totally sucks. I neglect my teeth too much, so I’ve been through a couple root canals. Good luck to you. Try a shot of brandy if the ibuprofen doesn’t work. Or 6.
Erin says
This looks delicious! I love the flavor combinations. Hope you get to feeling better
Melinda says
Oh sweetie! I hope you are better real soon. You have my sympathies.
Your cake looks super-dooper!
Collette says
Oh no! It must be the weekend for toothaches. You have all my empathy and a big hearty Poor Baby. Friday, I got a(nother) root canal on a tooth that had one 2 years before on which we’d just put a brand new crown. When it was over, the tooth hurt worse than it did before–went from a 3 to an 8. I laid my head on the table and cried.
My baby was super cute though–he walked up and gently patted my head. I didn’t get cake but I got a head pat! I’ll take it. Of course if you want to send the cake…
Hope you’re feeling better today.
jenny says
Oh dear, something similar happened to me on the way back from france, my face was swelled up like a watermelon by the time I got to the emergency dentist. Hope you get back to normal really soon.
apparentlyjessy says
Oh Peabody, I hope your tooth is better soon! Dental pain is the worst! x
Pigpigscorner says
Oh no…sorry to hear about your tooth. I went home one summer and got my wisdom tooth removed, it swell and I couldn’t eat anything for a week! Hope you are feeling better.
Patricia Scarpin says
Pea, I hope you are feeling better by now. Toothache sucks – actually, all aches suck, right?
I remember when I had to remove my wisdom teeth and could not eat anything. Lucky me I could eat tons of ice cream. This gorgeous mousse would have been great, too.
Paula says
Wow how awful! I hope your feeling better and can eat something other than stovetop! Your cake looks beautiful:)
grace says
dripping caramel gets me every time.
Stephanie says
Your cake looks incredible. I’m so sorry about your tooth. Hopefully you are feeling more comfortable now.
Elle says
This is not optimal way to lose weight! The cake is awesome ..how on earth did you make it with that pain?…have been there…and not even to be able to eat it!
Health “care” in the country gets worse all the time. Get you ‘sedation’ dentist to give you a prescription to keep at home now that he knows pain meds are not available when he is closed. Assure him that you won’t fill the RX unless it is urgent. Hope you finally got some sleep!
Meaghan says
Thanks for your comments on my blog (the decorated cookie)! And it made me find yours, which I love. I posted a link today on this yummy looking cake for my edible crafts column at ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com.
thanks for sharing! meaghan
Mrs. L says
I’m so glad you got some relief today. I don’t know about you, but it always seems that I get sick on Fridays after the dentist/doctor has already left!
elly says
Dental woes are the worst! This cake looks so good. My husband would especially love it.
Joan says
Good Grief that cakes looks wonderful! I’m so sorry about your tooth! Hope it heals quickly. I love your word “craptastic”. I may use that one. It seems to describe some things in my life!
Claire says
Poor thing! I hope that you get better. Be careful with those abscesses…they can get really bad! If you don’t get better, go back to you dentist fast…I know you know all this. The cake looks delicious. I really need to try this out on my family…we have a land that makes the best caramel cakes and I think this would compete.
Jodye says
My, this looks so decadent and beautiful. Gorgeous photos!
Hannah says
Oh Peabody, this is terrible.. I’m so sorry! My dad recently underwent a root canal, so tooth tragedies and loss of appetite is no strange news to me. I really hope you feel better asap.
Amy says
I’m so sorry you had to be in pain for that long! Doctors (and dentists) can be real jerks about that sort of thing. I used to work as a program manager in a free dental clinic (low income patients with no insurance). The dentists were sometimes so mean to the patients because there are so many “drug seekers” that everyone catches a bad break at times. I imagine that’s what the doctor you saw might have been thinking. I’m glad you are feeling better!!
Carrie says
Oooh, that caramel frosting looks so good I could eat it off the screen. Sorry that an achy tooth was the reason you updated the recipe.
Julie says
What a crock..wait till those urgent care people have the same problem, then we’ll see who’ll be getting the narcotics. Hope it’s better soon.
Maggie says
Ugh, I’m sorry to hear about your tooth troubles. I hope the root canal goes as well as possible.
This cake looks fantastic! I’ve been looking for a caramel frosting recipe like this that uses brown sugar. I had a great one but lost the darn recipe. Gotta try yours soon!
Jaime says
ouch! sorry about your tooth! but that cake looks scrumptious!
Deborah says
I’m impressed – when I’m not well, I don’t think I could bake like this! It looks wonderful, and I hope your tooth is better!
Christina says
I’m drooling! Love “different” types of goodies, but my hubby only eats chocolate! So boring! After 34 years of marriage, it’s pretty boring. And when I make stuff for myself (sadly, I make something almost weekly!) I have to give it away to neighbors etc. It was pretty easy when we lived in Orange County CA, but here we live about 8 miles outside of Prescott AZ. Neighbors are few and far between!
You poor thing with your tooth! I sympathize totally with your experience at the urgent care though..I have a medical thing and am on meds on a maintenance basis. Heaven forbid I should ever go to an ER or urgent care with a problem! Wow! You’d think it was street meds! Hope you feel better soon.
Meghan says
I’m sorry about your tooth! I remember when I had a root canal on the first day of the Chicago Food Festival…worst timing ever!
On a different note, that looks like the most decadent cake ever; I’m digging the marscapone, caramal and orange combination. I think I may have to go bake it immediately.