Food Blogger Prop Swap
“I KNOW WHAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU…I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED.” Antonio Porchia
There is a lot of work that goes into preparing one blog post. Most of it is fun. Some of it is tedious. But one of the parts that I enjoy the most is “prop shopping”. I’ve started to collect so many things, that I actually have a storage room in my basement that houses all of my stuff! And I’ve often thought how great it would be to be able to share some of the things that I collect. So I was thrilled to participate in the first Food Blogger Prop Swap hosted by Alyssa at Everyday Maven and Faith at An Edible Mosaic. What a stroke of genius, and my hats go off to these ladies for all the work they’ve done to make this such a fun and successful event! It was so much fun to receive the name of a blogger, scour their site to see what their style is like, and then send a box of props that you think they may enjoy.
I received an AMAZING box of goods from Carrie at Poet in the Pantry. There are some days when I go thrift store shopping for props and I score really big. Well opening up this package from Carrie was like one of those days, my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one! I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Carrie, but this box……it was like she knew me! Let me show you the beautiful things that I received . . . . . [Read More...]
Vintage Cakes: The Pink Cake
“THE VERY PINK OF PERFECTION.” Oliver Goldsmith
May I just start off by telling you how much I LOVE pink desserts?! So when Paloma of The Coffee Shop, and leader of The Cake Slice bakers told us that The Pink Cake was up next, I was delighted. It most definitely is….a very pink perfection! The book we are baking from is Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson. And this particular cake is an original of hers and one that is featured at her bakery, Baker & Spice. Pink to me is such a shabby chic vintage color. And so this recipe fits really well into this lovely book of retro cakes.
This is a rich, moist but light chocolate cake surrounded by a silky Swiss buttercream. How does the buttercream get it’s beautiful pink color? [Read More...]
Snickerdoodle Cheesecake
“ARRANGE WHATEVER PIECES COME YOUR WAY.” Virginia Woolf
It’s been a little while since I last participated in the Improv Cooking Challenge, founded by Kristen at The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. But I’m glad to be back! Every month Kristen challenges us with two ingredients that we can use in any way we wish. What pieces came our way this month? Cinnamon and sugar! This is such a classic combination and of course Snickerdoodles came to mind. There’s nothing better than that soft, sweet, vanilla sugar cookie rolled and covered in cinnamon. Unless it’s cheesecake! [Read More...]
Blueberry Orange Baby Bundts #Bundtamonth
“CAN WORDS DESCRIBE THE FRAGRANCE OF THE VERY BREATH OF SPRING?” Neltje Blanchan
So many people await the arrival of spring because it means the days are longer and there is so much more to do outside. For some, it’s the constant sunshine that they enjoy. And for others new growth brings with it a feeling of new hope. For me, spring is like living in a world of aromatherapy. There is nothing that instantly relaxes me like the scent of lilacs in my yard, freshly cut grass, or even wet dirt after a soaking spring rain. And so it is with baking. Anuradha of Baker Street and Lora of Cake Duchess challenged the Bundt a Month bakers to use berries this month. While blueberries are not the most fragrant fruit, when you combine them with the warm sweet scent of vanilla and bright and cheery citrus notes, your kitchen is suddenly filled with promise. And these sweet little blueberry orange mini bundt cakes promise to be delicious! [Read More...]
Chocolate Strawberry Slab Pie
“FOOD IS NOT ABOUT IMPRESSING PEOPLE. IT’S ABOUT MAKING THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE.” Ina Garten
It’s always great when a fussy dessert turns out really well. But I am even happier when I am able to casually throw a few ingredients together and the result is just as satisfying. This month, Roxana, of Roxana’s Home Baking and the fearless leader of The Chocolate Party challenged us to pair chocolate with strawberries! It’s such a winning combination in my book. Strawberries always remind me of spring and summer, and strawberry picking at my favorite farm. And so I wanted to make a rustic dessert, and one that tastes like home. [Read More...]
Bake Sale & Raffle
There is a wonderful BAKE SALE happening at From Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts beginning today at noon through May 5th. My very dear friend, Kris, is sponsoring this bake sale to raise money in support of her friend who has signed up to ride with Team in Training (Minnesota). Stacy will be riding in America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride around Lake Tahoe. You can read more about Stacy’s involvement in the bike ride here. All proceeds will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I have come to find that food bloggers, as a whole, are some of the most supportive people I have ever met. And the next best thing to developing these friendships, for me, is the ability to bake for a greater good. So in support of Kris, Stacy and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I will be contributing my baked goods, too! So many wonderful bloggers have signed on to help, and some great gifts will be raffled off as well. So please head over to From Sugar Cookies to Peterbilts to bid on some amazing baked goods and enter the raffle for a chance to win some fabulous prizes.
Please lend your support. Let’s all band together to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. We can do this! One sweet bite at a time!
Thank you, Kris, for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful event.
And GO STACY GO!!! WOO HOO!!!
Vintage Cakes: Lemon & Almond Streamliner Cake
“TRAVELING IS LIKE FLIRTING WITH LIFE. IT’S LIKE SAYING, I WOULD STAY AND LOVE YOU, BUT I HAVE TO GO; THIS IS MY STATION.” Lisa St. Aubin de Teran
Travel back to the 1930′s on the Zephyr, the Flying Yankee, or the Comet. It was the golden age of train travel, when comfort and convenience replaced sensibility. And you could travel from here to there in luxury and style. These streamlined, sleek, art deco styled trains offered sleeping compartments, observation cars, and sit down dining and buffet lounges. If I close my eyes, I can put myself there. Having finished my dinner, I pat my short, crimped hair with my fingers and reapply my bright red lipstick. My waiter interrupts to ask what I’ll have for dessert. Dessert? Why I think I’ll try a slice of that lovely almond lemon cake!
Julie Richardson, author of Vintage Cakes, discovered a recipe for a Lemon Stream Liner Cake in a 1967 issue of Baking Industry. Though there was no explanation of the origin of the cake, she believed that one possibility is that it was named after the streamlined trains of the early 20th century. And my own imagination took me back in time as I made this really moist, almond buttermilk cake which is topped with a light, lemony custard. [Read More...]
Coconut Cherry Chip Bundt Cake #Bundtamonth
“IN THE CHERRY BLOSSOM’S SHADE THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A STRANGER.” Kobayashi Issa
Well it is cherry blossom season here again in the nation’s capital! And while the Cherry Blossom Festival is officially underway, it certainly doesn’t feel like spring here yet. The highest temperature today is a breezy 53° and all I want to do is drink hot chocolate! But this is my first time participating in Bundt a Month. This group, founded by Anuradha of Baker Street and Lora of Cake Duchess, is made up of some amazing and creative bundt bakers. And when it was announced that cherry would be the theme, I felt like I had to represent!
I chose to bake a coconut based cake studded with sweet Oregon cherries and semi sweet chocolate chips. Top it off with a drizzle of chocolate cherry ganache and a sprinkling of coconut (tinted the color of cherry blossoms), and I feel like I am on a float in the middle of the parade! [Read More...]
Chocolate & Irish Cream Cupcakes
“A QUARREL IS LIKE BUTTERMILK, ONCE IT’S OUT OF THE CHURN; THE MORE YOU SHAKE IT, THE MORE SOUR IT GROWS.” Irish Saying
The only quarrel that will likely start over these pretty black and white Irish Cream cupcakes is who will get the last one! Buttermilk is one of the key ingredients in these light and airy cupcakes. In baking, buttermilk reacts with baking soda to give your product a light texture and also prevents your baked goods from browning too quickly. A huge thank you to Roxana, of Roxana’s Home Baking; and the founder of The Chocolate Party for pairing chocolate with buttermilk this month! And since I am a year round fan of Bailey’s Irish Cream, I knew that I would be making these buttermilk cupcakes. They are soft and light in texture, with a mellow chocolate flavor; but the Irish Cream is everywhere in this recipe. [Read More...]
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