It is difficult to tell that we are beyond summer solstice here. The sky is gray and there is a good chance of rain. It is par for the course in June in Oregon but my heart still pines for rays of sunshine and warmth on my skin. If I cannot have the climate I hope for I will have to settle for a cake full of tropical sunshine and flavor. This Orange Cake with Passion Fruit Buttercream is not the kind of cake that you bite into and wonder what flavor one could possibly be trying to convey. It is fully and intensely orange and bright and perfumed. I need something sunny and in its full splendor! Continue reading
Category Archives: Cake
Sizing Up
Changing pan sizes can be a bit confusing. What do I multiply by? How many servings will there be? What temperature should I bake at? To help eliminate some of the confusion I decided to create a chart to take a little of the guess work out of changing from one cake pan size to another. Continue reading
Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream
People make banana baked goods for one of two reasons: one, they love banana treats and will wait patiently for their bananas to ripen in order to use them; or two, their bananas did not get eaten while they were in the edible range and they hate to throw away totally usable bananas. While I am frequently subject to a bunch of declining banana I truly am a member of the former group. I am a big fan of banana bread, banana muffins and these sweet little banana cupcakes! Continue reading
Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Strawberries and Cream Filling
It seems that summer is finally in full swing. The air is warm and the sun is shining (sunshine is relegated to a couple of summer months here in Oregon ;)). It is time to start thinking about picnics and barbeques and I have the perfect cake for you to take along on these outdoor eating adventures. Continue reading
Lego Chima Party
One of the great joys of watching my children grow is seeing how their own beautiful personalities and interests develop. Ever since my kids were old enough to have an opinion I have let them choose their birthday theme. This year Asher’s love of Legos has really grown and he particularly likes the Chima theme. So he decided on a Lego Chima party for his seventh birthday. At first I was at a bit of a loss as to which direction to go with this. Chima characters are not the same as many other Lego characters and their story line has a much more organic feel than the boxy rigidness of most Lego genres. After painstakingly (and painfully) watching many Chima television show episodes I set off to create the Land of Chima in our home. Continue reading
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Butterscotch Buttercream
I tend to place chocolate cakes into two categories: liquid fat and solid fat cakes. Liquid fat cakes contain either oil or melted butter and tend to have a more open crumb while solid fat cakes, with batter that can hold tiny air bubbles, tend to have a finer more delicate crumb. This is a solid fat chocolate cake with a tender, fine crumb and rich chocolate flavor. Continue reading
White Mocha Cake with Espresso Caramel Buttercream
If you voted on Facebook for my birthday cake of choice this was the winner! This cake is not for the faint of heart. It is loaded with white chocolate, espresso, half and half and butter; a delicious combination that results in a tender, beautifully textured cake full of my favorite flavors. If one shot of espresso is not enough, I added a buttercream infused with an espresso caramel sauce. It’s like caramel that has gone to the dark side. Together this cakey team is a force (lol!) to reckon with. Continue reading
Essential Vanilla Cupcakes
Oh vanilla cupcakes, you look so sweet and innocent but can be such a bugger sometimes! One would think such a recipe would be easy to conjure but cupcakes come with their own set of challenges. One time I baked close to 10 batches of cupcakes trying to find ones that had the perfect dome (not an easy feat!). These Vanilla Cupcakes are my go-to recipe for birthday parties and class functions. They are light, moist and flavorful; they have the just-right amount of dome and are sturdy enough to hold up to all types of fillings and toppings. They will quickly become your Essential Vanilla Cupcakes too! Continue reading
Raspberry Pinot Noir Cake
I have the huge blessing of living in a rural agricultural community that is known for its incredible Pinot Noir. Just beyond my home in any direction are numerous small vineyards and wineries that hand craft lovely wines characteristic of our region . Two friends of mine, Brad and Kathleen McLeroy of Ayers Vineyard, (who also happen to have children in classes with each of my children!) pour their hearts into making fabulous Pinot Noir. For quite some time now I have wanted to try making a cake with a Pinot Noir and since I had an amazing bottle of the Ayers Perspective Pinot Noir on hand I decided to dive in and give it a go! Continue reading
Size Matters
Yes, when it comes to cake pans, size does matter. It is a natural inclination to want to vary the size of tin that you bake your cakes in, but for some cake recipes the outcome of going either larger or smaller in pan size without adjusting batter volumes will yield results that are less than desirable. Continue reading