Cake #1 - Chocolate Citrus Cake with Candied Oranges

My first cake challenge is done!  Here are some tips I learned while baking this cake:

1. READ the recipe thoroughly from beginning to end!

2. Put on some good music.

3. Take a deep breath.

4. Get out all your ingredients and baking utensils.

5. Read the recipe again, step by step.
6. Sit down and ask yourself if you really want to do this.
7. Take another deep breath.
8. Measure and mix according to the recipe, EXACTLY!
9. Taste everything! More than once!
10. Keep your cool when you realize you omitted an ingredient from a baked confection on
     which you've spent over six hours, and at least $25.00!

So my verdict on cake #1 is so-so.  Good cake and filling, but not-so-good frosting.  [And I need to work on my "food styling", so at least my photos will look better.]

Next weekend, it's cake #2!  LEMON COCONUT CAKE (How can I possibly mess that up??)