First, this picture was taken with an iPhone. Usually I wouldn’t share it, but the cake was too amazing to keep quiet. Ashley and I had so much fun making this together for Christmas Eve dinner. Mom made a fabulous prime rib and the whole family feasted like we’ve never feasted before! Our favorite part was most definitely Ashley’s chocolate buttercream – OUT OF THIS WORLD! Absolutely amazing.
Our Aunt Honey had a laugh that was like no other; big, unabashed, and absolutely infectious. It brought a smile to every face as quickly as did a bite of her fabulous marble cake. We drove to Richmond each holiday season eagerly discussing and anticipating both the laugh and the cake. On the off year we didn’t make the trip, you could bet we’d receive a very heavy box in the mail delivering a fresh and beautiful marble cake wrapped securely in loads of foil. She knew we just couldn’t do Christmas without it.
My pumpkin supply is running short here in Asia, but that’s OK because I was forced to try something different this fall. I’d completely forgotten how amazing the perfect chocolate cake can be! I’ve never had a go-to recipe, but when I saw this in Bon Appetit it looked like I had met my match. I don’t go for light and fluffy when it comes to my cakes, particularly the chocolate variety. I like dense (check), rich (check) and moist (check). The cake was fab. And the frosting? Beyond. Dangerous. Anytime I need a chocolate cake, this will be on the menu. Seriously, didn’t even miss my pumpkin in the middle of October, that’s how good it was!
Continue reading ‘bon appetit’s chocolate (mayonnaise) cake’
These cupcakes are delicious, incredibly moist (which is mostly likely attributed to the full cup of oil), and embarrassingly easy to make. It’s a little tough to get these cupcakes to look lovely due to the nature of the frosting, but seriously, every time I make these cupcakes, people’s reaction never fails to disappoint–the phrase “Best cupcake I’ve ever had!” has been used more than once. Continue reading ‘pistachio cupcakes’
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Not in this case. Just couldn’t capture the allure of these bars with a photo. The name gives you a better idea of their decadence, but to truly understand these must be eaten. Probably the most addictive things I’ve posted so far, and that’s saying a whole lot. I made them on a Tuesday afternoon to share with friends the next day. Continue reading ‘gooey butter toffee cake’
I apologize in advance for this long-winded explanation. I am indecisive by nature, probably my biggest weakness. This indecision can lead to disproportional amounts of anxiety over such mundane decisions as “paper or plastic?” Obviously it’s going to cause a lot of problems when I’m baking. Continue reading ‘raspberry vanilla cake with lemon curd filling’
I was starting to feel like every single post was some shade of the predictable baking brown. That’s mainly because they all include very delicious brownish things; brown sugar, chocolate, butter, etc. But the page and my palate were due for a little color, wouldn’t you agree? So, time for some fruit. Now this recipe looked bright and cheery enough, but I had my doubts. Strawberry shortcake…cake? Continue reading ‘strawberry shortcake cake’
I love pecans! And pineapple, and bananas, and cream cheese. What, with so many healthy ingredients this cake is acceptable anytime of the day. I’ve wanted to make Hummingbird cake for SO LONG, and it did not disappoint! It would be a lot prettier if I made the full recipe with 3 layers…but the flavor was ALL there. Continue reading ‘hummingbird cake’
