Does it really matter what fat content of milk you use in your cake? I have often wondered about this but had never taken the time to set up a comparison until recently. Continue reading
Vanilla Cupcakes
Vanilla cupcakes in and of themselves are pure pleasure, but they also provide the perfect canvas for showing off a wide variety of fillings and frostings. These cupcakes are delicate, light and moist, not too sweet and have a picturesque dome for dressing them up with a mound of buttercream. These are the result of a hard-fought battle for the cupcake that has many desired characteristics.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Ermine Buttercream
Helloooo! It has been so long since I have posted, but just as Fall is overtaking and changing the trees, so thankfully, my life has settled into a season where I can spend more time sharing and interacting with all of you. I really have missed it! To celebrate changes in the air, here is a delicious Pumpkin Spice Cake. Continue reading
Red Velvet Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
I will be the first to admit that I am opinionated about cake. But with most types of cake I believe there is wiggle room as to what makes a perfect cake. Chocolate can be dense and rich or light and moist, vanilla can be open crumbed and fluffy or tender and compact. When it comes to Red Velvet Cake though, I believe there is one gold standard of perfection and this recipe achieves just that.
Spicy Chewy Ginger Cookies
Of all of the cookies I make during the holdiays these are always the ubiquitous favorite in my family. They are buttery and chewy with a lovely crispness on the edges and they scream ginger cookie! Some cookies claim to have ginger in them yet only sport a teaspoon or two; these babies have a whopping quarter of a cup ground ginger topped of with a half a cup of crystallized ginger. Their spicy sweetness is the perfect pairing for a cup of hot chocolate or steaming hot coffee! Continue reading
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream
This weekend I had the pleasure of making a baby shower cake for my long-time friend Tisa. She is having her first baby and some of our high school friends were able to gather and celebrate this new beginning. Before the shower, I asked her what type of cake she wanted and her request was for Carrot Cake with the works. This recipe has excellent spiced flavors, paired with a moist crumb, sweet pineapple, golden raisins and crunchy walnuts.
Viennese Almond Flavor Paste Giveaway!
It’s no secret that I looooove the flavor pastes from Pastry Portal. The product is simply amazing and offers fresh, real flavors that you cannot get from an extract or flavoring. And I must say that of all of the amazing flavors that I have tried, the Viennese Almond Paste is my favorite! In fact, my mouth was watering as I was taking these pictures because the smell is so profound it was filling the room. And, because I want you to experience the incredibleness too, Ayi from Pastry Portal and I have teamed up to give away a jar of this paste that will keep you in a happy place for a very long time! Continue reading
Mocha Almond Fudge Cake
There are times when I want something light and fluffy and there are times when I want something dark and fudgy and decadent. This Mocha Almond Fudge Cake is for those dark and fudgy kind of days. It is a rich mix of a fudgy chocolate almond-flour cake frosted with a sinful espresso buttercream and filled with silky hot fudge and crunchy salted and roasted almonds. Seriously, who can resist this combination! If Mocha Almond Fudge is your favorite flavor of ice cream and you need a fudgy chocolate fix you must try this! Continue reading
Coconut Cupcakes by Trophy Cupcakes and Book Giveaway!
Phew! The kids are back in school and the fall routine is beginning. To celebrate the start of my favorite cake season (hooray for apple and spice and nuts!) I am sharing with you an awesome Coconut Cupcake recipe (a little reminder of the sunshine we are leaving behind) from the Trophy Cupcakes and Parties! book. I am also going to give away a copy of this incredible cookbook and idea book. Continue reading
Quintessential Chocolate Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
If I had to pick just one chocolate cake from my entire repertoire of cakes to eat and serve this would be the one. While my American Mud Cake is rich and decadent and amazingly delicious, this Quintessential Chocolate Cake is so versatile and all-encompassing that you could serve it to anyone for any occasion. Need a great chocolate cake for your nephew’s birthday? This is it. Need a refined cake for your cousin’s wedding? This is the one too. This cake is rich and moist and fudgy but also light and delicate. It seems contradictory but try it and you will see what I mean. Continue reading