cakes and cupcakes Archives - Page 5 of 10

2015/07/142018/01/03

Little Honeyed Apricot Cakes

Blenheim Apricots

“She led him back to her kitchen and dining-room combined, a warm little room papered with flowers. Automatically she poured a cup of coffee and placed it for him and put the sugar bowl and the cream pitcher in front of it.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Some summers it’s all about berries, other times peaches. This year might be apricots. We drove inland to Hollister for the fabled Blenheim Apricot. Their season is short, three, sometimes four weeks. Often green and scarred on the outside there is an intensely flavored, bright orange apricot hiding inside. Blenheim’s don’t ship or store well and can be elusive to find. I came home from Bertuccio’s with twenty pounds and made lots of jam, a crostata and then these little cakes. I’m convinced that apricots and honey are this summer’s best flavor pairing. Served with coffee or tea the Little Honeyed Apricot Cakes are a gift of summer. READ MORE . . .

2015/07/032018/01/03

Ultra Lemony Lemon Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze

Ultra Lemony Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze

#CitrusLove

“In my basket, under my clothes, you’ll find two books—new, so be gentle with them. It’s two volumes by a man the world is going to hear from. You can start reading if you want and it will raise your lid a little.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

When I won Mary’s give away and received Baked Occasions by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito I was (almost) overwhelmed with all the fantastic recipes. This cookbook is just as scrumptious as Baked Elements! How about Pistachio White Chocolate Cheesecake or Chocolate Pop Tarts with Peanut Butter and Jam Filling? Black Forest Cupcakes and Strawberry Supreme Cake have been bookmarked. When I found Ultra Lemony Lemon Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze there was no turning back. How could I resist making a cake that required the zest of 10 lemons! This was a cake that I had to make. What did I do with all the leftover lemon juice? Made lemonade!

This Bundt is moist and lemony. Magically the rum and almond flavors meld with the lemon to make a mighty fine cake. If lemon desserts are a favorite this is a must bake cake. This cake travels and keeps well and can be made a day before it is eaten. The recipe for Ultra Lemony Lemon Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze can be found here. READ MORE . . .

2015/06/212018/01/03

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Olallie Berries

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting

A Slice of Decadence

“When June came the grasses headed out and turned brown, and the hills turned a brown which was not brown but a gold and saffron and red—an indescribable color.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Picking Olallie berries the first week in June is an annual tradition. My mom took us to Gidzich Ranch every June. Making Olallie Jam and pie with my mom is a treasured food memory. This year I went to Gidzich Ranch to pick berries with fellow blogger, Sunny Cove Chef, and picky daughter. The Olallie season is even shorter this year, three weeks rather than five or six. There is no ignoring the California drought. The u-pick for raspberries and boysenberries has been cancelled this year. Although all the fresh berry offerings are seasonally available at the farm stand. And they sell pie. Buy the slice or an entire pie. We shared a slice of raspberry pie on our visit. Almost unbelievable, pie stuffed to overflowing with vivid magenta berries. Summer! READ MORE . . .

2015/04/122018/04/07

Buttermilk Shortcake with Strawberries and Mint

The First Fruit of Spring

“There were others who prophesied, with rays shining on their foreheads, about the sometime ditches that would carry water all over the valley—who knows? maybe in our lifetime—or deep wells with steam engines to pump the water up out of the guts of the world. Can you imagine? Just think what this land would raise with plenty of water! Why, it will be a frigging garden!”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

In California, spring came early. It rained like crazy in December and we were hopeful that the drought would ease. Instead we have had an early spring with so many days of sunshine I have almost forgotten about the coastal fog. I got an email notice from our local farm stand, The Farm, saying the strawberry harvest began early this year and flats of berries were available before the farm stand opens in late April. I was so excited at the thought of sweet, organic strawberries that I had to have some. Driving home, the scent of the first fruit of spring was overpowering. I easily devoured an entire basket that afternoon. The next morning we had some with our breakfast. I made these shortcakes and then as quickly as they arrived, the first fruit of spring was gone. READ MORE . . .

2014/11/12

Citrus Pistachio Cake — Pound Cake on Steroids

Green Oranges

“On the table, with candlesticks around it, was a big white cake and a box of chocolates, and beside these a basket with a magnum of champagne peeking out of crushed ice.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Before I introduce the ultimate pound cake I should explain how green oranges became this weeks obsession. Around the block from our house is a vacant lot. Mr R tells me there once was a house there. It must have been a long time ago because only the foundation, a ramshackle shed and a few trees and shrubs remain. The apples on the huge apple tree ripened early and I missed harvesting them. Across the lot a small citrus tree clings to life. It’s hugging the fence. Maybe there’s water on the other side of the property line. After I missed the apples I started keeping closer tabs on the citrus tree. I was amazed at the amount of fruit the little tree was producing. The fruit was very small, green, hard and round. At first I thought I’d found lemons that just weren’t ripening. Finally when some of the fruit began to get a touch of color and was dropping to the ground I brought one home. The exterior had a coat of dull fuzz that I scrubbed off. The fruit was a pale luminescent green inside and the juice was very bitter, but not unpleasant. I was convinced I had found a lime tree. But what I had found was a very sad orange tree with bitter fruit. READ MORE . . .