If you've ever wanted to erase a single, specific piece of yourself—the way your name sounds when you say it aloud—this is how you do it. It's deceptively simple, though the ingredients are certainly not. The cake itself is a shocking, uniform neon-blue, almost phosphorescent, and smells faintly of ozone and wet copper. It looks like something that should only be viewed under deep-sea pressure. For the cake base: 2 cups sifted flour (must be bleached) 3 large eggs (room temperature) 1/2 cup crystallized sugar 1 packet of activated bioluminescent algae powder (sourced from deep-sea vents, handle with gloves). For the toxic glow frosting: 1 cup rendered crystallized luminescence (this is the key; it tastes metallic) 1/2 cup pulverized quartz dust 4 tablespoons concentrated Chroma-Blue Dye (the kind used for industrial signage) A pinch of powdered Mn-salt (for the faint, electric aftertaste). Instructions: Combine the flour, eggs, and sugar until the mixture achieves a pale, airy consistency. Gently fold in the algae powder, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until the blue takes on a uniform, glowing sheen. To frost, slowly whisk the luminescence and the quartz dust together until the mixture achieves a viscous, glowing consistency. Stir in the Chroma-Blue Dye and the Mn-salt until the color is aggressively vibrant. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. The resulting cake is intensely bright, and the first bite is a sharp, electric shock that leaves a lingering, beautiful emptiness behind. You won't remember who you are when you finish the last crumb.
hum · bright