Banana Bread with Walnuts and Tahini

This lovely loaf was made because we had a crazy amount of super ripe bananas in the house. When in doubt with banana - make a loaf! At the same time, I wanted to try something new - hence this recipe. I am eager to try anything with sesame.

Spring Pavlova {Lemon Curd, Roasted Strawberries, and Whipped Cream}

I didn't want to bake a cake for my mom's birthday. It was time to switch things up. With the beautiful spring weather, it needed to be light. Fruity. A little refreshing.

Inspiration struck with a lovely Pavlova.

Blood Orange, White Chocolate Pound Cake

It's a wonderful thing when a pretty cake actually tastes good. I grow weary of the "food porn" pictures of overly frosted confections with ridiculous combinations. Form and function should work together! That's why this little number from The Boy Who Bakes is such a welcome recipe.

It was serendipitous that I had bookmarked this cake on my to-do list when I happened upon some blood oranges at the market. Who am I to question such an obvious sign?

Banana Bread Waffles {Dairy-Free}

These waffles are a hybrid of recipes from Just So Tasty (Banana Bread Waffles) and Hummingbird High (Paleo Banana Bread Waffles). I do my best to stay on that Paleo game but I know my husband. When it comes to breads - do not play with him. Keep the almond and coconut flour away - he wants some some good old fashioned brunch! I would like to note, however, these Paleo Dirty Chai Pancakes did win his immediate approval.

Harry Potter Cake

This simple and sweet cake was made for one of the greatest. She's spunky, knows what she likes, and flaunts it. Even if it's requesting a Harry Potter birthday cake. I never caught the HP fever and didn't realize how rampant it runs - from children to adults.When I told a mutual friend about the cake plan, she immediately caught a real, "cat in a bathtub vibe," and started throwing decoration ideas.

The HP fever is real.

The Little Big Top Cake {Raspberry & Pinot Noir Cake}

Come one, come all, to the greatest show in town! It's the Little Big Top Cake!

This little cutie of a confection was made for a wonderful friend's birthday! I had a few key elements to start with when planning this cake: 1) she's always loved the circus and dreamed of being in one when she was a kid; and 2) her favorite fruit is raspberries. With a flick of the ol' baker's wand - I came up with this combination!

"We'll Miss You" Cake

This is a quick post-it note for a cake that I made for a going-away-party. It was made for a friend's co-worker who was leaving their happy team at an elementary school. Though I don't know the person, I could tell she was going to be sorely missed by her peers and they insisted on nothing but the best. That meant using the, "good butter" and premium vanilla extract. I relied on the old faithful recipes including this vanilla cake with Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves - a house specialty. The cake is frosted in my favorite swiss buttercream but the flowers needed a firmer frosting to withstand the the summer heat.

Cheesecake with Dreamy Strawberry Glaze

It's that time of year again! My annual cheesecake sacrifice for the my brother-from-another-mother, Brandon! He's a picky eater so I love it when his birthday rolls around. Cheesecake is the one sweet treat that will always get his attention. I've tried my hand at a few variations, including White Chocolate Raspberry, No-Bake Nutella with an Oreo Crumble Crust, Pumpkin Spice (a personal favorite), and Japanese Cheesecake. 

"Unicorns I Love Them" Cake

This cutie cake is a special edition that was made for my friend Marisol's birthday. This girl loves everything wild, fantastical, and purple. We're talking spitting fire for fun and rocking full-body pikachu jumpers.The more we have gotten to know each other over the years, the more I knew I needed to make her a unicorn cake. Please note, when you bake this sort of cake - you need to have this song from, "Despicable Me," playing on loop.

Raw "Candy Corn" Cheesecake

This post is a day late and a dollar short but I couldn't resist sharing! Bookmark it for next Halloween! It is a super cute Raw "Candy Corn" Cheesecake from the Unconventional Baker who specializes in food without the use of artificial colors, sweeteners, and flavors. I love reading this blog for the beautiful photos and wildly creative desserts.

Simple, Soft, and Chewy Granola Bars

Sometimes you need a snack in a pinch. I cannot tell you the number of times we have been rushing out the door for a dance practice with growling stomachs. You don't want to eat anything too heavy or else you will feel like a rock for half the night. The other option is to feel shaky and whiny, staring at the clock hoping someone will kick you out of the studio early so you can get dinner.

Water Color Wedding Cake

Photo Courtesy of M. Harris Studios

A few months back, a friend reached out looking for wedding venues. As the best man, he was hustling for ways to help plan one of his favorite couple's, Lissette and CJ, wedding. I gave a few suggestions and threw my name into the hat as a cost-effective option for the cake. I had hung out with the couple on and off over the years and always found them darling - no harm in offering! I was completely surprised when they asked if I would do it. Talk about a leap of faith! Thank you both for entrusting me on your special day!

Big Ol' Yellow Cake (Half Sheet)

This is a beast of a cake. It takes five cups of flour and serves up to 48 people - and that's just a single layer. The pictured cake is two layers in order to sandwich in the lemon filling. The weight alone is an accomplishment; stabilizing this over a 30+ minute car ride had my knuckles aching and me swearing. But it's worth it when it's for people you care about.

Strawberry Cake with Rhubarb Swiss Buttercream

Sometimes, having this blog makes me feel like Dr. Jekyll  and Mr. Hyde. As my friends and family will tell you, I'm constantly on the quest for healthy and delicious tasting food. That's not to say an exquisite chocolate croissant won't catch my eye from time-to-time (*cough cough* Sub Rosa Bakery) but overall, eating well is one of my passions. It's not about counting calories - it's about nutrition. I  focus on gut-health, limiting the intake of processed foods, cruelty-free farms, and saying no to the usage of harmful pesticides. 

And yet.

Strawberry Mousse - Cake Filling that Works

A few weeks back, I delivered my second ever wedding cake (stay tuned for details). The bride and groom requested a vanilla cake with strawberry filling. I knew just the recipe for the tiers thanks to the Gender Reveal cake from last year but I very rarely bake with strawberries. They're more of a tart and pie kind of ingredient, right? It was time to roll up the sleeves, muss up the ol' apron, and pretend to be America's Test Kitchen.

Hummingbird Cake

A Hummingbird Cake. What in the world is a Hummingbird Cake? If I hadn't stumbled into this magical world of blog baking, I would never have learned of its existence. I assumed it was an American tradition but when I asked around, no one else had heard of it either! Turns out, the origin of this recipe hails from Jamaica and it didn't hit the United States until 1960's as part of the country's tourism marketing.  As for the quirky name, there are two theories but I am more partial to the idea that the cake is sweet enough to attract humming birds who only consume fruit nectar. 

That being said. What in the world is a Hummingbird Cake?

Chocolate, Almond, & Pear Cake

For all the cakes that I have baked, this one right here from Twigg Studios is in my top five. I never would have found it if it wasn't for my brother. Every year, I make it a point to bake him something other than the standard confetti cake. He has an adventurous palette and loves trying new foods. This year, I decided to try the fruit route. He likes pears - heck he even has a guest post on this blog for a cake using canned pears (brace yourself, it's from a time when I didn't have a fancy camera). I had the idea - I just needed some inspiration.

Almond Cake with Raspberry Filling and Swiss Buttercream

This year for my mother's birthday, we decided to marry the best of all world's by ordering dinner at one of her favorite restaurants and picking it up for a nice, stay-in evening. No big mess in the kitchen to clean up and more time to bake? Sounds like a win to me.

Since it was a meal for four, I didn't want to make a big confection with lots of leftovers. My favorite cakes are always the small ones! Especially a 6-inch round, it's just right! They're more fun to decorate and you can spend extra time on the details.

The flavor of this cake is almond but it's really white in disguise. Yes, white is a flavor. That means egg whites for a nice, airy texture and an open palette for customization. I've used white cakes for several specialized flavors like Blue Moon and Thai Iced Tea. Simply pick your favorite white cake recipe and use a bit of almond extract.

The filling is my favorite raspberry spread- nothing fancy but full of delicious flavor. You can find the Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves at your standard grocery store. Use as much as you want, just make sure that you line the border of the cake with a sturdy frosting so it doesn't ooze out. I may have overdone it a touch this round.

And lastly of course was the swiss buttercream. As if I ever use anything other than the recipe from Smitten Kitchen! It's just too reliable to turn away. I added a few drops of almond extract just for fun but you can keep it vanilla. The color comes from the slightest bit of rose food dye as I don't like using artificial elements. You can imagine my devastation when I realized mint chocolate chip ice cream isn't naturally green!

At some some point, I would love to try this Almond Cream Frosting or experiment with this naturally tinted Hibiscus buttercream, but not this day. I needed a frosting that does well in the piping bag! My mother loves flowers, especially roses hence the decoration. This is one occasion where form trumps function. Just look at that adorable birthday girl's smile!

No fuss, no muss for a classy birthday for a classy lady!

As stated, the recipe for the Almond Cake can be found on Tastes of Lizzzy T's with basic raspberry preserves as the filling and Smitten's Swiss Buttercream.

Buckwheat Banana Bread {Gluten Free}

Once upon a time, I made buckwheat pancakes and my husband reacted lukewarmly. My girlfriend and I, on the other hand, loved them. What was his hang up? The answer was simple: buckwheat. Allegedly, it has an aftertaste that I cannot detect. We had already experienced this phenomenon once before with the Rum-Kissed Banana Butterscotch Cream Tart in a Cocoa-Buckwheat Crust. With an unfinished bag of flour in the kitchen, I wasn't ready to give up on buckwheat.

That's when a few over ripe bananas made me raise an eyebrow. Could they cover this "after taste" that I kept hearing complaints questions about? It was worth a shot and oh buddy, did I find a winning recipe!

I've made my fair share of banana bread but nothing quite likes this version from Joyous Health! Ignoring the buckwheat factor all together, this fierce loaf is distinct because it doesn't rely on loads of sugar, chocolate chips, or nuts for its flavor.  It uses a smexy smidge of cardamom to create a whole new creature. I can't really explain it but I will do my best.

The texture is super light and airy. You can barely tell its on the plate. It smells totally aromatic, especially when you incorporate maple syrup for a touch of sweetness. My favorite cheat? Use maple syrup that is infused with cinnamon or vanilla bean- either is incredible and you'll start putting it on everything. The cardamom isn't overpowering but overwrites any trace of buckwheat with its notes of sweetness, spice, and citrus.  

The real test, naturally, was the hubby's approval. I casually slid him a slice without telling him that there was any buckwheat in the mix. His eyes lit up. It wasn't intended to sway us but we agreed, this is our new favorite banana bread recipe! Simple ingredients. Easy to make. Relatively kind to the conscious. And tasty. Woo hoo!

This recipe for super moist Buckwheat Banana Bread {Gluten Free} is from Joyous Health's Blog. Enjoy!

Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

It's no wonder why these luscious Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache frosting caught my attention. Just look at that silky smooth topping! I didn't think it was possible but this cupcake is seductive. It reminds me of those cheesy commercials you see on television for candy that is leaping through waterfalls of chocolate and landing in a bed of berries. You get my drift. It's a romantic cupcake. 

What really matters though is taste. A monstrous pet peeve of mine is "food porn" where incredibly decadent desserts make your jaw drop at their sheer absurdity mixed with genius. Then you actually try them, make a screw face, and wonder, "what the heck was I thinking?" They either don't make any sense or come out overpoweringly sugary. 

Not this cupcake. No sir.

This cupcake from Pastry Affair is a gentleman. The combination of dark chocolate and blackberries are bold and complimentary. The cocoa is very subtle and balanced while the fruit adds a slight bite to wake you up. In terms of texture, the cake is slightly dense to support the folded in blackberry bits. It has a slight crumble as you peel off the wrapper. The overall flavor is rich goodness.

What puts it over the moon is ganache frosting. This may be my new best friend in the kitchen because it's so easy to make and transport. Regular buttercreams make me nervous because they can slide or get smudged by the slightest contact. Not this kid. This is a helmet of frosting. It holds firmly, has a beautiful sheen, and can be stylized with a simple star-tip.

Other aspects to be appreciated about this recipe is it does not waste the fruit. The cake is mixed with warmed juice from blackberries that have been heated on the stove top. Rather than discard the remains, they are folded into the batter. Brains and beauty? This cupcake is a winner.

This recipe can be served vegan style with the right combination of chocolate chips and milk. I used almond milk because I appreciate it's slight nutty after taste. If you were feeling mighty frisky, you could reduce some coconut milk to thicken and enrich the flavor.

It was a bit of a bear finding these cute paper cup liners but I was smitten on sight. I tried Sur La Table and a local bake shop with no luck. And wouldn't you know it... they were at Michael's! Go figure.

Make sure that you keep a close eye on these cupcakes - they will go fast! Especially with a little fiest eagerly watching for accidents! Nice try handsome-face! I will bake you up some treats soon enough!

The recipe for these Chocolate Blackberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache frosting can be found on Pastry Affair.