Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘cake’

Sep 23

2 Comments

Herbed (or not) rum apple cake

What if I said I made three of these cakes in two days?

Apple_rum_cake

There was a reason, see, and a pretty good one at that – a waxed cardboard box full of apples from Minnesota, bequeathed to us by my grandmother on Labor Day and rapidly softening thanks to the hot streak that followed. (Even Midwestern basements can’t store apples well in 95-degree heat.)

So I made 16 cups of apple pectin stock and 3 different types of apple jelly (Jameson, chili, and red wine/bay leaf), each of which was re-branded a glaze after utterly failing to set (whoops). But even that project used up only about half the apple stores, and with only a few days of usability remaining I turned my eye to desserts. So I opened up the usual suspects – a few favorite websites and books – to find inspiration, only to be almost immediately questioned by Brett as to why I would make anything other than this apple cake that I first made a few years back. It’s actually been on this site since back then, but tucked in the archives under the relatively unassuming name “Simple Apple Cake,” and after this binge I figured it deserved an updated page and a new title. Read more

Jul 10

6 Comments

Polenta layer cake with fruit and créme fraîche whipped cream

Cake_duo

Oh doesn’t that look like an amazing cake to make for 4th of July?

I’m so helpful.

I did make this cake for 4th of July, but that means I can’t write about it until after 4th of July, which makes it a little late for all of you. But wait! You can actually make this cake any time of the year. Woo hoo! Now you’re set and I’m not late at all.  Read more

Mar 31

6 Comments

Saffron-cardamom birthday cake with rosewater buttercream

It’s no secret that I like to make food for other people (perhaps even more than I like to make it for myself), and something I’ve enjoyed most recently is putting together items at custom request. Someone dreams up something particular – maybe a little off the beaten path – and I test and experiment and tweak to put it together.

Saffron_cardamom_birthday_cake

A “glitter Persian cake” was requested, and a glitter Persian cake was received.
Read more

Nov 18

A tale of two cakes

I’ve been trying to write this post for days.

I have things I want to say, but I just can’t figure out how to get them out. I’m a little exhausted, and a little scattered. It’s like how going on a trip is fantastic, but those few days ahead of time are chaotic, and stressful, and you can’t figure out how to pack less than five pairs of shoes, and you’re sitting on the floor surrounded by a monstrous pile of sweaters, and then you’re raising your voice to your husband. “Why don’t I have shoes that go with things? Why are all my shoes so awful? Why don’t I have anything nice?! Why is life so miserable and WHY AM I SO BAD AT IT?!” And he says “here, love: you should drink a little of this bourbon.”

(Two points: 1. Packing gives me major anxiety, and 2. Brett is pretty awesome.)

You could say I’m kind of in a trip preparation period right now, but it’s lasting for weeks instead of days. And I’m organizing time and emotions and energy and focus instead of socks and pants and sweaters and shoes. (Side note: Seriously – why don’t I have shoes that go with my clothes? It can’t really be this hard. Can someone help me with this, please?) And instead of a trip to somewhere far away, it’s more like a trip into a different everyday life. What comes next will be fantastic, but in the meantime there’s much to do and lots of focus on at once, and I’m one foot in this life and one in the next.

Two more points: To deal with stress, we should eat some cake. And then some more cake.

Deal?

Ginger_pear_cake

Cheesecake

Read more

Jun 28

Buttermilk anything cake

Sometimes I go a bit overboard with fruit. Summer comes and suddenly there are peaches and apricots and cherries and everything all over the place, and I just can’t help myself. I buy boatloads, and then we end up needing to eat eight pieces a day just to make it through.

Buttermilk_cake

Buttermilk_cake_peaches

Read more

« Older Entries