I bake A LOT of cakes. I’m still learning, but they’re becoming second nature to me. Sometimes, it’s nice to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. With an overabundance of lemons in my kitchen, I tackled a traditional lemon tart with a non-traditional kick. Much easier than I anticipated and absolutely refreshing and delicious! The candied lemons and lavender-infused honey are optional, but absolutely worth the extra effort.
When asking my husband what he wanted for his birthday, he kept telling me that he didn’t need anything. When I asked him what kind of cake I could bake him, he said, “I don’t need a cake.” To which I immediately refused to accept as an answer: EVERYONE should have a cake for their birthday! For me, baking has become a love language for me and I absolutely enjoy putting my heart and joy into creating something delicious for the people in my life. Of course, baking during a pandemic means using whatever you have on hand, and in our house, there is never a shortage of coffee or chocolate. Since Brian’s favorite froufrou coffee drink is a mocha latte, I set out to recreate the flavor into an absolutely phenomenal cake that is now a favorite.
One of my favorite things to do for visiting friends is baking them something that they’ll love. Whenever I ask, “what do you want me to make,” more often than not I’m met with, “oh, I don’t know; just surprise me.” With a plethora of options that overwhelm me, I then start to dig so I can find out what their favorite flavor combinations are. For our friend Micah, chocolate and peanut butter were at the top of his list. This classic combination makes for a delicious and satisfying dessert for any occasion. Continue reading
February brings us all the beautiful first hints of springtime. We start to feel the sun on our faces a little longer, the melting snow reveals budding new life, and inspiration for new beginnings touches many of us. Many of my inspirations are driven by looking for new and interesting recipes, especially those that feel like the current season. Inspired by the legend of Saint Valentine, I was searching for recipes using violets. Serendipitously, a dear friend sent me a link to Gather Victoria’s Wild Violet Sweethearts and I immediately fell in love with the idea. Delicious, light, and simple. Continue reading
Autumn has finally arrived! It may still be 90° here in central Texas, but that isn’t going to stop me from enjoying my favorite fall treats and staring longingly at my beloved flannel shirts, dreaming of crisp breezes and turning leaves. Yes, it is in fact so hot here that carving actual jack-o’-lanterns would render them sad, moldy mounds of orange sadness within a day, and makes for pumpkin patch trips or hayrides only enjoyable with several layers of sunblock and summer clothing. To lift my spirits, I started decorating the house for Halloween, planning our costumes, and researching recipes that fit the season. What better way to get into the fall mood than baking a delicious spiced apple cake with some homemade caramel buttercream? Continue reading
My birthday was this past week and my aunt dropped in for a visit, so I decided I wanted to bake myself something delicious and summery to celebrate. I happened upon a mouthwatering recipe for lemon cupcakes with cherry buttercream and decided I would attempt to convert the recipe to a cake. The results were not only irresistible but also quite pretty. This is definitely a recipe to keep in the books for special occasions. Scrumptious! Continue reading
Summertime is here and with that comes sipping on sweet tea, dangling feet into the cool water, and munching on watermelon. And nothing, I mean nothing compares to eating a warm bowl of delicious homemade peach cobbler with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Continue reading
Over my many years of attempting pie crusts and getting impatient, I finally perfected an old recipe of my mom’s combined with multiple different recipes I’ve toyed with online and from cookbooks. It’s super flaky, delicious, is fantastic for both sweet and savory pies, and is easy to prepare. I even like to make mine the night before and sometimes even freeze pre-rolled out bits for pie art.
Trust me, the extra effort of making your own pie crust is not only worth it for the taste, but also the self-satisfaction of knowing you can make a better-than-store-bought pastry. Continue reading
Gratuitous Nerdity 