For the baker, there is a wide variety of flours to choose from when making a cake. Some of the options include: bleached cake flour, unbleached cake flour, pastry flour, self-rising flour, unbleached all-purpose flour and bleached all-purpose flour, not to mention starch substitutes and hybrid variations of some of those above. It can be a bit confusing which is the best flour for cake baking. Here I hope to demystify some of the what’s and why’s of cake worthy flours. Continue reading
Category Archives: General
Almond Rose Cupcakes with Strawberry Mascarpone Buttercream
If you are looking for a cupcake with a fun unique flavor this is a great one to try. But don’t be frightened away by this uncommon flavor combination. These cupcakes have a light delicate crumb and can be made into an everyday almond or vanilla cupcake with the omission of extracts. The addition of mascarpone to the buttercream gives the icing a light whipped-cream like texture and the strawberry adds a fruity vibrancy to this noteworthy amalgamation. Continue reading
Tiramisu Cake
Do you need a pick-me-up? I thought you just might so
I baked this delicious Tiramisu Cake to tempt your tummy and lift your spirits. Let me tell you, this cake is more than wet, tasteless sponginess and frothy filling. It is mildly sweet with a potent kick of double power espresso and rich, creamy mascarpone and amaretto filling that may make you a little bit giddy. Trust me, you want to make this cake! Continue reading
Gluten-Free American Mud Cake with Triple Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate is often the default flavor that bakers go to when asked to make a gluten-free cake. It makes sense; chocolate is pronounced enough to cover any unsavory flavors that non-wheat flours present and cocoa powder can be used as a starch substitute for some of the wheat flour. But clear your mind of any preconceived notions of gluten-free chocolate cake. This is just straight forward delicious cake. This recipe is based on my American Mud Cake and boasts of the same great chocolate complexity and rich, moist, goodness! Continue reading
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake and Gluten Free Baking Tips
Gluten free Vanilla Cake is by far the most challenging of all gluten free cakes to formulate. It is quite naked in that it is the most revealing of cakes when it comes to flour exposure. There are no secondary flavors to hide behind such as fruit or chocolate. This purist among pastries must stand alone and operate in perfect unity with its supporting ingredients to create a cake that both tastes delicious and feels correct on the tongue. Continue reading
German Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake, an American classic, popularized in the heart of Texas, may not win any beauty contests (at least not my cake 😉 ) but this moist, tender chocolate cake, filled and capped with thick, sweet Coconut Pecan Icing is a treat for all to behold. Here is my take on this beloved cake with a couple of my own twists which make it easier and tastier than ever before! Continue reading
Orange Cake with Passion Fruit Buttercream
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
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