Dreams are built with rising dough and sprinkles on rolling pin foundations and puffy clouds of flour floating high above. Cakebakes follows the trials and tribulations of Anna Ghirardelli on her quest to bake the perfect infectious confections and sugary treats.
Hello. It's been awhile! Due to unforeseen, as well as foreseen, circumstances, it's been a bit since our last post. And unfortunately, we'll probably continue at this slow pace for a few months. You see (again, unfortunately), we're engaged now. So! Lots of wedding plans and planning. Not to mention it's also the holiday season, wherein Anna has no life outside of catering and databases. Good for you, I say! Can you pick me up a salad on your way home, sweetie? Thanks!
So, until January, if not after our wedding, our posts will be much more sporadic! We may even post some more 'crafty' related items as we create our big day.
The recipe featured this week is an oldie for me. I believe I learned about it around the fifth or sixth grade. My cousin, Adam, had (most likely been forced) to take a Home Ec. class where he learned this recipe. In turn, my grandmother learnt it, then... me. Now you. It's supposedly a take on a certain 'orange smoothie' chain's recipe... but, I hear they used eggs in theirs. No eggs in this one, but feel free to break one in and let me know how it went, after the salmonella wears off.
Ingredients
Orange Jubilee
3-4 Fl Oz Orange Juice Concentrate
½ Cup of Milk
½ Cup of Water
1 ½ Teaspoon of Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
13-15 Ice Cubes
You will also need a blender for this, so break that bad boy out.
In a blender, combine the orange juice concentrate, milk, water, sugar, vanilla extract, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
You may also notice that I've used a banana in the pictures. This is entirely up to you. If I have any fresh fruits handy I like to throw them in. As well, given this is a smoothie, you can also throw in any vitamins and supplements you may want.
It should also be noted that this recipe doesn't have to be followed exactly. I have a feeling it's not exactly how I originally learned it, but have tailored it more to my personal tastes. So, feel free to expirement!
The first time I ever asked Cory what his favorite food was, he told me it was Lefse. Yes, Lefse. I had never heard of it in my life! I asked him what Lefse is and he told me it is like tortillas but they are made out of mashed potatoes. In doing a little research on it, I found out that Lefse is a Norwegian recipe for soft flatbread. Potato is not a traditional ingredient, but is often added to make Lefse dough that is thicker and easier to work with, and having grown up partially in Idaho I'm not surprised at the use of potatoes
Where did this recipe come from? His family of course! It is a holiday tradition for them and Cory says they have been making it for as long as he can remember. Cory’s grandma Betty, his mom Linda, and his aunts spend all day in the kitchen and welcome the Thanksgiving holiday with plenty of Lefse to go around. Nothing brightens his day more than coming home to find they've shipped him some! So, obviously, when Linda was visiting we just had to force her slave away and show us the recipe.
There are many different ways you can eat it, but almost all of the family members prefer it the same way: heated in the microwave and rolled up with butter. And, what with my carb addiction, I can't complain! It's delicious.
Ingredients
Lefse, Knopes Family Recipe
Yields around 30
3 Potatoes
2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
¼ Cup 2% or Whole Milk
Flour, lots
Salt
Equipment
Rolling Pin
Wax Paper
Spatula
Griddle or Lefse Griddle
Peel the potatoes with and make sure no skin is left on them. Cut the potatoes into eighths and boil them until they are soft enough to mash. Drain the potatoes and then mash them with the butter, milk and salt. Make it as smooth as possible. If there are lumps that refuse to be mashed, pick them out.
One of the main keys to this recipe is that the mashed potatoes are silky smooth! Let the mashed potatoes cool completely. Mix in 2 Cups of flour until there is no stickiness to the potatoes. Add more flour if needed. Do not be scared to add as much flour as you need.
Using wax paper, form the dough into long, cookie dough shaped logs. This amount of dough should make 3 logs and each should be about a foot long. Put them on a cookie sheet and let them cool and form in the fridge for at least an hour. This will make them easier to cut later.
Turn your griddle on as high as it goes. THIS IS A DRY FRY PROCESS. Do not use any spray.
Fill a bowl with flour. Slice the logs of dough into one-inch slices. Take each slice and pat it out between your hands. Next, place the flattened dough onto a generously floured counter and roll it out with a rolling pin until thin (not too thin, just thin enough to be able to pick it up). Make sure there are no holes in the dough. Make sure the dough is not doughy. If it looks too doughy, remix it in your hands with more flour.
Now, fold the dough in half like a taco and put it on the griddle. You can cook two or three on a regular griddle at a time depending on your size. The Lefse should cook for about three minutes on each side or until light brown, but not burned. You can keep rolling out your Lefse and stack it in a pile while the others are cooking.
Make sure to keep the finished Lefse in an airtight container or in a plastic Ziploc bag. Before eating, make sure to warm it up in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Some people eat them with butter only, butter and cinnamon sugar, jam, or roll it up with meat. Whatever you choose I’m sure you’ll enjoy this simple yet delicious treat.
A few weeks ago, I gave you my delicious recipe for Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard (which I still think about daily and need to make more of because it is just that good). While describing my journey in discovering the beauty of frozen custard, I mentioned another little treat I had at Short Order. Cory and I had ordered a simply joyous shake called the Drunken Girl Scout.
It is an adult shake, meaning it has alcohol in it. If you would like to make it without the alcohol, go ahead! Though, I'm not sure why you'd want to do that! (Glug, glug!) Instead of the crème de menthe for the mint flavor, just add some peppermint extract.
One hint I can definitely give is do not use the green crème de menthe! When I made my shake it came out such an odd greenish-brown color, as you can see in the photos. The bright green crème de menthe was what we already had in the house, but I wish I had used the clear. I am sure you will make your shakes and realize how ugly mine was. And we all know you can't have something taste good if it's not aesthetically pleasing.
I urge you to try this shake! It is perfect with the hint of chocolate and refreshing mint flavor. It is the perfect and fun ending to any late summer dinner. Warning: Cory and I split the shake and boy did I wish I had my own. Make a double triple quadruple quintuple batch!
Ingredients
The Drunken Girl Scout
2 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream (or for better results, my Vanilla Bean Frozen Custard)
2 Scoops Chocolate Ice Cream
½ Ounce Crème De Menthe
1 Ounce Whiskey
1 Ounce Crushed Thin Mints or chocolate mint cookies
Garnish with chocolate sauce, mint cookie, and fresh mint sprig.
In a blender, combine the vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, whiskey, crème de menthe, and crushed thin mints. Blend until smooth.
In an empty cup, swirl the chocolate sauce around and then pour the shake into the glass. Garnish with the mint sprig and cookie for an extra special touch.
Sometime within the last year, Cory and I decided to go out to the LA Farmer’s Market. (Actually, we went to meet Joel flippin' Hodgson, but whatever.) I was thinking we would try all different kinds of food and buy a bunch of unique ingredients. Sadly, we did not even really look around since by the time we got there we were so hungry we just had to eat. We ended up at the burger joint Short Order.
We each got burgers that were just so-so and thoroughly enjoyed our fried pickles. I noticed they had frozen custard shakes on the menu and it piqued my interest. I had never had frozen custard before and it just sounded like something I desperately needed to try. There was one problem. Cory and I were headed to a show afterward and we are both… lactose intolerant. Yep. The baker and sweet lover is lactose intolerant and so is her handsome boyfriend, and Cory, too. We take pills to help, so we can eat dairy, but they are often a hit or miss. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. So, needless to say, we did not have the frozen custard that night. We didn’t want to risk getting sick in the middle of a show!
So, cut to two weeks ago, Cory and I were at the taping of the Talking Bad (yes, we love Breaking Bad just as much or even more than everyone else) and Short Order is a block away from the CBS studios. We jumped at the chance to go back for some more of those amazing fried pickles and to try one of the frozen custard shakes. (We were going home after we ate so we took a chance with the dairy!) We decided on the Drunken Girl Scout (more on that in next week’s post) and from the first sip, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. You could tell this was not just any ice cream. It was so thick, flavorful, and different. That, my friends, is because it is frozen custard! It is a standard egg and vanilla custard frozen in an ice cream machine. To me, it is thousands of miles ahead of regular ice cream.
Once I had it, I knew I was lost to frozen custard forever! I had to try to make my own. This is why I now present to you Frozen Vanilla Bean Custard. So rich and delicious by itself, and basic enough that you can add any flavor profiles to it that you would like. Go crazy with this recipe! Create your own Frozen Vanilla Bean Custard flavors and share them with me so we can share the love together.
Ingredients
Frozen Vanilla Bean Custard
recipe from theconcreterunner.com, who adapted her recipe from the pioneerwoman.com
1 ½ Cups Half and Half
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Vanilla Bean, Split and Scraped
5 Egg Yolks
1 ½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
In a medium saucepan, combine the half and half, sugar, and vanilla bean. Mix it together so everything is combined and turn the heat on to low or medium (I had to do medium since my stove is a little special). Whisk the cream constantly so it doesn’t settle and get a skin on the top of it.
While the cream is heating and you are frequently whisking, get your eggs ready. When you have your five yolks in a bowl, use a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a whisk to beat the eggs until they are slightly thick. I whisked for about 2 to 3 minutes just to make sure.
Keep the cream mixture on the heat until it is just about to simmer and then remove from the stove. Slowly add half of the half and half mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk continuously. Make sure to keep whisking until it is very well combined so you do not end up with scrambled eggs. Once combined, pour the egg mixture into the rest of the half and half mixture and whisk until combined.
Heat again on low to medium heat, still, whisking frequently. The mixture should start to get thick like a pudding or custard. Once it begins to simmer, remove from the heat.
Pour the custard in to a bowl and add the heavy whipping cream. Whisk until combined. Take a large piece of plastic wrap and lightly press it so it touches the top of the custard. We do this so it does not get a filmy layer on top. Cover the rest of the top with plastic wrap until it is secure and then chill in the refrigerator until completely cool (I had to chill mind overnight. I would plan on just doing so!).
Once it is completely cold, we can make it into frozen custard. Using whatever ice cream maker you have, place the custard into the machine and wait away! I have a 2 Quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker and it took my custard about 20 minutes to finish.
Scoop out and eat either immediately or put it in an airtight container/Tupperware to sit in the freezer for a while and get a bit colder and firmer. If you like soft ice cream though, have a few spoonful’s right away!
Now you have the perfect base for any ice cream treat your little heart desires.
Ladies and Gentleman, this is the cake. This is the cake that all of your family and friends will ask for. This is the cake that everyone asks for the recipe for. This is the cake that forces you to handcuff yourself to the couch for fear that you will walk to he fridge and eat the whole thing! This, is the Almost Better Than Sex Cake, aka, the over-exaggeration cake.
Honestly, I have no idea where this cake recipe came from. Immaculate cakeception? I do know that my Momma is the one who started to make it and drove everyone crazy with it’s goodness. Although, I have no idea where she came up with it. I have seen other cakes by the same name or something very similar, but never bothered to make them because I'm too lazy to change. As I mentioned, the recipe I have here is the one.
My sister requested the Sex Cake (as my family lovingly calls it) for her birthday a few weeks ago. Of course, my mom made it and I devoured it, more quickly than I probably should have. When my sister asked everyone to bring something to her birthday party, I knew what I had to do. It didn’t matter that we had just had the cake, I'll eat myself into a diabetic coma before I give it up. I wanted more! The one piece on her birthday was just not enough! I made a double batch of the cake and her friends absolutely demolished it. There was none left over at the end of the night. Note: the cake may or may not be good at soaking up alcohol.
I could not imagine a more perfect cake. It is not too dense, perfectly chocolatey, and super moist from the caramel and condensed milk. The Cool Whip topping is perfect because many frostings are too sweet. The Cool Whip gives the cake a lightness you would not expect. The crunchy crumbled Heath bars on top give the perfect texture balance to the whole cake. Honestly, I am not sure if this cake is actually better than sex, but it is pretty damn good!
Note to readers: Anna wasn't exactly coherent when writing this recipe. While I've proofed the story portion, the recipe portion may be a bit off. If something sounds suspicious to you, please let us know... not so that we can change it, but so we can laugh at her.
Ingredients
Almost Better Than Sex Cake
Adapted From My Mom
1 Box German Chocolate Cake Mix (Plus ingredients from instructions on the back of the box)
1 Can Sweetened, Condensed Milk (14 Oz)
1 Jar Caramel Butterscotch (17 Oz, Usually use Mrs. Richardson’s Brand)
18 Oz Cool Whip
3 Health Bars, Crushed (Or a bunch of mini Heath Bars)
Use a 13 x 9” pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven according to the directions on the box of the cake you chose. Just make sure it is the German Chocolate Cake Mix. I use Betty Crocker mix.
As soon as the cake is done (use the toothpick test to make sure cake is done) use the round end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all along the cake. Each hole should be about a ½ inch apart. Drizzle the condensed milk over the holes in the cake. Make sure you evenly distributed the condensed milk over the whole cake. Next, drizzle the caramel evenly over the cake, but make sure to heat your caramel in the microwave for 30 seconds before drizzling so it comes out smoother.
Make sure to run a knife around the edges of the cake to make sure it does not stick to the sides of the pan. Once this is done, refrigerate the cake for at least two hours, or, until it is chilled.
While the cake is cooling, unwrap the health bars and put them in a storage size Ziplock baggie. On a heard surface using a hammer, pound the candy until it is broken up to a lot of little pieces.
Top the cooled cake with the Cool Whip and then sprinkle the whole thing with the crushed health bars.
Viola! You have the perfect crowd pleasing cake for any occasion. Everyone will ask you to bring this cake along, so be prepared to memorize this recipe!
Oh, my recipe seeking friends! I am so sorry for the lack of updates recently, we've been on quite the bender. Cory and I have been so busy the past few weeks I have had to put baking on the back burner (Lol, baking pun, she's so funny). But do not fret, I will be back baking this weekend and will hopefully have a deliciously tasty treat ready for posting soon.
But why have we been so busy? We went on a little mini stress-fest vacation! Cory’s cousin got married in Portland at the end of July and we took a few days off to go up and celebrate with them. It was my first time in Portland and before I left I told Cory that I wanted to walk into all the cute food places I saw and just try everything! Go big or go home! I think the placed we just walked into because they looked cute gave us the best food of the trip.
We of course had to mosey on over to Voodoo Doughnuts. I had heard so much about it, not to mention seeing the line on the weekend (so long!)... we had to try. They had so many crazy doughnuts and wish I could re-do my trip there and try some that were a little more interesting. We got a Vegan Voodoo Doughnut, Bacon Maple Bar, Diablos Rex Doughnut, Mango Tango, and the Dirty Snowball Doughnut. I thought that the best two were the Voodoo Doughnut (filled with Raspberry filling) and the Bacon Maple Bar. The others were just OK. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I think this place was a bit too hyped. You take a look at their options here.
What she's not telling you is that she's just upset they didn't have the doughnut she wanted: the Cock-N-Balls doughnut. - Cory
We also stumbled upon a juice bar called Kure and it was the perfect late afternoon lunch before the wedding. We felt like we had been eating junk food all weekend and the smoothies we got were such a nice treat. I got The Extra Mile smoothie (Coconut Milk Yogurt, Coconut Meat, Kale, Almond Butter, Coconut Water, Honey and Ice) and Cory got the Greenheart (Pineapple, Banana, Kale, Klamath Lake Blue/Green Algae, Coconut Oil, Apple Juice and Ice). They were so refreshing and funny enough, Cory liked my shake better and I liked his more! Good thing I've gotten over my germaphobia and share food with him all the time!
I think my favorite place was Ruby Jewel Hand Crafted Ice Cream. We had walked past it on our way to dinner and I had to go in. The cute tables outside to the wood and pastels inside were too much cuteness for me to pass up. When we finally went in after dinner we got to try all different kinds of ice cream. The girl behind the counter was so sweet and gave us a bunch of samples, including a sample of the Rogue root beer they use for floats. Cory and I ended up splitting a half scoop of Fresh Mint with Chocolate Flake and Rip City Hippie (a berry based ice cream with granola) with a homemade waffle cone on top. It as so good! The mint was real mint and perfectly soothing while the granola was so crunchy and perfectly paired with the berry ice cream.
We also stumbled into a Oregon Brewer's Festival and tried a bunch of beers, but I don’t remember which ones because I was too thirsty to care (and tired from the airplane and maybe definitely a little tipsy). And unfortunately, one of Cory's favorite's, the elephant ear, was not photographed, as we ate it far too fast. If you've never had one, you probably should find where to get one.
Overall, Cory and I had such a nice time with his family and had tons of good food in Portland! Can’t wait to get back into my own kitchen and make something delicious myself.
Check back next week for our Better Than Sex cake recipe!
Ever since I was a little girl my dream job was to be a stay at home mom. I set my sights high! In my daydreams I would make breakfast for my kids, do laundry, garden, read during the kiddles naptime, lounge in comfy clothes (read: wear sweats 24/7), maybe work out (read: maybe), and have a delicious dinner on the table for my husband when he comes home from work. Like that could ever happen now! I have come to terms with the fact that I may not get to be a stay at home mom (dang you, economy!) but I can still be a great little Susie Homemaker.
I love being crafty, making food from scratch, and getting my hands dirty in the yard. I like stitching personalized kitchen towels and baking cookies just because. I would say I am pretty dang good at the modified and working version of a housewife (minus the being married part...) (Wooowww... - Cory). To further my education in being a hands on and homey kind of lady, last year I was introduced to jamming!
I know, jamming and canning can seem scary. There is so much equipment and it can seem like such a process. Not to mention the scariness of waiting for your cans to make the pop so that you know it is sealed.
I was introduced to jamming by my second mom, Cindy, the Walter White of the jam world. She is my best friends’ mom and one of the women I look up to the most. She learned many years ago and wanted to teach me how, so I agreed. I spent a lovely Sunday morning at her home jamming away. She taught me all the secrets she knew and we made some delicious jam. Last year we made strawberry jam and blackberry jam. Since then, I experimented on my own (thanks to the college graduation gift she gave me, which was a full canning kit!) and made some delicious apple butter that I gave as gifts at Christmas. This summer, just a few weeks ago, we had our second jamming session. I brought my sister along to learn as well and the three of us talked, ate pickles, drank beer, and made some amazing jam in her lovely kitchen. The two recipes I will share below are from what we made a few weeks ago; the standard and delicious Strawberry Jam and our delightful and perfect experimental combination of Apricot and Raspberry Jam.
Please do not be too scared to try making jam or try canning. It is not as daunting as it seems and is a great weekend activity to do with the ones you love.
*There are many different methods and ways to approach canning but the equipment and tips below are what have helped me make successful jam every time.
Ingredients
Equipment List
Canning Pot/Water Bath Canner
Jar Rack
Tongs/Jar Lifter
Candy Thermometer
Canning Jars
Jar Funnel
Strawberry Jam Ingredients
8 Cups Mashed Strawberries
8 Cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Butter
*Yields 10 ½ Pints
Apricot Raspberry Jam Ingredients
8 Cups Chopped Apricots
2 Pints Raspberries
6 Cups Sugar
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Butter
*Yields 7 ½ Pints
The first step to making either jam is filling up the water bath pot with water and heating it up. It can take so long to boil if you have a crappy burner! The second step is to run the canning jars through the dishwasher to sanitize them and heat them up. Try to time it so it is drying just before you are ready to put the jam into the jars. The reason for this, other than making sure they are clean, is to make sure they are hot so when we put the piping hot jam into the jar it doesn’t break and shatter. Put the lids for the jars in a small saucepan full of simmering water on the stove.
For the Strawberry Jam: Wash and chop the strawberries and put them in a big mixing bowl. Use a masher, spoon, fork, or whatever works best for you to mash up the berries. I like to leave little chunks in mine but you can mash them to your own preference. Mash until you have 8 cups of mashed strawberries when you measure them out.
Put the mashed berries into a pot and mix in the sugar. Turn on the stove to a medium high heat and attach your candy thermometer to the side of the pot, making sure the tip of the thermometer doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan. The goal now is to bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil you can stop stirring constantly and just do a few stirs every minute. Also, make sure to turn down the burner a bit. When the mixture starts to foam, add the tablespoon of butter. This is used to keep the foaming to a minimum. Now, we wait to get the jam to 220 degrees. This took about 45 minutes for us.
For the Apricot Raspberry Jam: Chop the apricots up into small pieces and put them in a pot. Attach the candy thermometer to the pot, making sure the tip of the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan. Mix the apricots with the sugar and bring to a boil on a medium high heat stove, stirring constantly.
Once boiling, add the whole raspberries to the mixture and gently stir them in. You can stop mixing constantly and mix frequently, at least once a minute to make sure it doesn’t start to burn. Also, make sure to turn the burner down a bit. Add the tablespoon of butter when the mixture starts to foam and it will help keep the foaming down. Now we wait to get the jam to 220 degrees. This took us about 30 minutes.
Finishing process for both jams: Make sure the water in the caning bath is boiling and get the hot jars out of the dish washer. Also, make sure the jam is at 220 degrees before putting it in the jar!
Line up your jars so they are ready for filling and take some of the lids out of the saucepan to let them dry for a moment. Using a jar funnel and a ladle, pour the hot jam into the jar. Make sure to leave a quarter inch headroom at the top of the jar because you do not want to fill it up too much. Many jar funnels out there have measures on them and I have found mine extremely helpful when filling my jars.
Next, wipe any stray jam off the rim of the jars. You need to make sure to get any excess off or it will mold! Place the lids on the jars and twist them closed. Make sure not to twist them too tightly! Place the jar rack inside the canning pot and using tongs or a jar lifter, place the jars of jam into the jar rack inside the canning pot. Make sure the jars do not touch the sides of the pot, the bottom of the pot, or another jar. When using a canning rack this is usually not an issue. The water in the canning bath must cover the top of the jars by about an inch or so, so add more water until you achieve this. Put a lid on the pot and then bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling again, it will take the strawberry jam 5 minutes to process and the apricot raspberry jam 10 minutes to process. Once your timer goes off, use the tongs or a jar lifter to carefully bring the jars out. Set them on a towel on the counter to cool off.
Now is the nerve-wracking part! To be able to store these jams in the cupboard (for up to one year!) you need to make sure they are sealed. You will know they have sealed when you hear the little POP sound. That is the middle of the lid going down and sealing the jar. Sitting there and waiting for them all to POP is so fun! We usually scream in excitement. If you cannot tell which ones have popped, lightly run your finger over the top of the lid and press down in the middle. If it pops back up and still moves it has not yet sealed. If you press down and it does not move, congratulations! You have successfully made your jam! (Some jars just need a slight touch to pop down and sea.)
Once the jars are sealed, leave them on the counter for 24 hours to settle and then place them in the cupboard or pantry and use them when needed. If some of your jars do not seal, not to worry. Just put them in the fridge and use them for the next week or so. The sealing process is just to seal them for long-term storage outside of the refrigerator. You can always make these recipes and skip the processing steps all together if you plan on needing a lot of homemade jam at once!
Use the jam on toast, muffins, scones, biscuits, in fillings for a cake, or my all time favorite, a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
Big news. (For us, darn it!) Back when we started Cakebakes, we decided on the name knowing full well we'd have to go with a haphazard domain extension. Hence the Cakebakes.US. All in all, it wasn't half bad, and has worked rather well thus far. However, it's always missed that certain unmistakable .COM extension.
Alas, the owner of Cakebakes.com had had the domain going on three years, and had yet to put anything on it. Their lack of use was half of what led us to use the name. So, we trudged along with what we had and made it work, but all along I've been watching. Waiting. And that day finally came to pass, the day their registration ran out and went to auction. I jumped on it right quick. If you haven't noticed by now, you're on:
Cakebakes.com!
We're pretty happy with this new acquisition. As Anna puts it, "We're official now."
Be sure to update your bookmarks if you've got 'em and, yea, don't forget to like us on Facebook, and Twitter, to learn about new updates and posts!
I am such sucker for lemons... there's a pun there someplace. I have always loved them. I was lucky enough to grow up with a lemon tree in our yard, so I would always bake and cook with them. I’ve made lemon pasta, lemon risotto, lemon tarts, lemon bars, lemonade, lemon sorbet. If it has lemon in it I have probably made it. Except ginger lemonade. I hate that stuff!
What I love about the lemon is that, to me, it represents freshness. It brings such a bright flavor to everything it is added to. It can be used to add a touch of acidity to bring out other flavors in a dish or it can be the shining star.
Not only do I love lemons, my Dad and Grandpa do, too! That is precisely why I decided to make a Lemon Tea cake for this past Father’s Day celebration. Lemon is perfect for the extreme summer weather we are having here in Southern California and it would definitely please my them.
I decided on the lemon tea cake, because I made it about a year ago and totally died for it. And nothing gets people interested in eating something more than telling them someone died from it! I actually made the tea cake in the form of a bundt cake, because lets face it, who doesn’t love a bundt? Well, some people, but that's beside the point! The cake stays so soft and moist (moist, moist, moist) from the simple syrup that gets poured onto it and is perfectly paired with fresh berries and whipped cream. Luckily for me, my whole family liked the cake as much as I do. It made me so happy to see my Dad and Grandpa enjoying the cake I made especially for them. Whether you make this cake for loved ones or for yourself, it is most definitely a keeper!
Ingredients
Lemon Tea Cake
Recipe from the Miette Cookbook by Meg Ray
Cake
2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ Cups Sugar
2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Heavy Cream
7 Egg Yolks
2 Whole Eggs
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 ½ Tablespoons Grated Lemon Zest
1 &frac13 Cups Unsalted Butter, Cubed
Lemon Simple Syrup
½ Cup Water
¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
¼ Cup Sugar
Lemon Glaze
4 Tablespoons Freshly Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Corn Syrup
1 &frac13 Cups Powdered Sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a bundt cake pan and make sure you get it in all the little nooks and crannies! (Nooks and crannies, yes! Perhaps this would be more accurate.) Flour the pan and move it around until the inside of the pan is covered with flour. Lightly tap the pan a few times to get the excess flour out.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a smaller mixing bowl, stir together the cream, egg yolks (getting 7 egg yolks sure takes a while, dang it!), whole eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Using a stand mixer, it is now time to mix up the cake! Put all the dry ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix it on medium speed for 30 seconds. Bring the speed down to low, add the butter, and mix for one minute. Add half of the egg mixture, wait until it is combined, and then add the rest of it. Mix for one to two minutes.
Put the batter into the bundt pan and spread it around evenly. Bake the cake for 55 minutes, or until your toothpick test works!
While the cake is on the oven, it is time to make the lemon simple syrup. In a small saucepan combine the water, lemon juice, and sugar. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to a medium low heat. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Set it aside until the cake it done.
Once the cake is done, pull it out of the oven and place it on a wire rack still in the pan. Take the lemon syrup and slowly pour it over the bottom of the cake. Let it soak in before pouring more and make sure not to pour too much at one time. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Put a plate over the bottom of the cake and quickly flip it over. Slowly pull away the cake pan to reveal your beautiful cake!
Time for the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and corn syrup together. Mix the powdered sugar in a little at a time. Mix the glaze rapidly until it is smooth and thick. If you need to add more powdered sugar to make it thicker, do so! Now, glaze the top of the cake and serve immediately if you can. If not, just keep it at room temperature until you are ready to serve. If you want, also top it with some fresh summer berries (I used strawberries) and some freshly whipped honey whip cream!
Last week I went to my very first Greek restaurant! I was so excited because I have always longed to go to Greece to experience those crystal clear blue waters, whitewashed buildings, crippling economic crisis, and delicious, authentic Greek food that some little old Grandma made for me. (Make me food, old lady!) And surprisingly, out of the eighty or so countries I've visited, Greece isn't one! I can see Cory and I laying on the beach and swimming all day... who am I kidding, I won't invite him! Then walking up one of those crazy mountain pathways (or riding a donkey up) to a delicious Mediterranean fare with a wonderful glass carafe of wine while I watch the sunset. OK, maybe I saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: Electric Boogaloo and Mama Mia one too many times (poor choice in movies, I know), but still!
OK, so now back to reality. Time to stop with the Greece vacation daydreaming. Cory, my family, and I went to Taverna Tony in Malibu for my Daddy’s 61st birthday and I was not sure what to expect. I've had Greek dishes before, but none from an exclusively Greek restaurant.
Because we were such a large party, there were ten of us, they had a fixed menu set. What we got was this amazing smorgasbord of dishes. For the first course, we were served hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, freshly baked pita bread, delicious veggies, and a salad. For the second course we got meatballs, calamari, a baked pasta dish, stuffed grape leaves and spanakopita. The third course consisted of chicken and lamb. I don’t eat lamb, ever, but Cory accidentally gave me a piece that I ate without checking what it was first. It was a sad day. Very sad. And by accidentally, I mean I thought it was beef and took it off the plate after he was done, but I blame him because he's so mean to me.
Moving on! For dessert they brought my Dad the largest dessert platter ever. It had two pieces of each dessert on it for us all to pass around and share, and after he blew out his candles, we did just that. That is, after he took half the plate for himself! They had a delicious chocolate cake, cheesecake, tiramisu, and baklava. Honestly, the dessert was just OK and was really not great in comparison to the rest of the meal. The one authentic dessert they had on the menu was the baklava, and needless to say, I was disappointed. It was too dry and did not have much flavor. It fell apart when we tried to eat it. As I was inhaling munching on my desserts, I had a flashback to about a year ago when I had made my first baklava. When I made it, my Mom and sister had said it was the best thing I had ever made. They’re dramatic and say such things, though; I'm pretty sure they broke down crying to So You Think You Can Dance soon after. While I know they were over exaggerating, I did remember my version of baklava being absolutely delicious.
So, today, I bring to you pecan baklava. Crunchy and sweet, it is the perfect dessert to eat on its own or warmed up a bit and served with ice cream!
Ingredients
Pecan Baklava
Adapted from Recipesnobs.com
1 Pound Pecans, roughly chopped
½ Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Package Phyllo dough, thawed
1 Cup Butter (2 sticks)
Honey
The Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, mix together the chopped pecans, sugar, and cinnamon.
Next, butter or spray non-stick cooking spray into a 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Lay one sheet (the sheets are so thin and big that I folded one full sheet in half and used that) on the bottom of the baking pan and baste it with the melted butter. Put one more sheet on (or one sheet folded in half for a thicker bottom, as I did) on top of the first one and brush it with the butter. Now, put some of the pecan mixture as the next layer. You do not have to put too much, but be sure to make it an even layer.
Put another sheet of dough on top and, once again, brush it with butter. The next layer should be the pecan mix layer. Keep repeating this pattern (dough layer, brush with butter, pecan layer) until the pan is full or until you run out of the pecans (I got 3 pecan layers on mine). You may drizzle honey on top of a dough layer as desired. The top layer should be the phyllo dough brushed with butter.
Chill the baklava in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once it is chilled, remove it from the fridge and cut it into squares or diamond shapes. Make sure to cut all the way through so it does not rip or fall apart when you try removing it from the pan later! Drizzle the remaining butter from the basting over the top of the baklava and then place it in the oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
While the baklava is in the oven, bring the sugar, water, and lemon juice to a simmer over medium high heat. Simmer for 20 minutes and stir occasionally.
As soon as you take the baklava out of the oven, pour the sauce evenly over the top of the baklava. It should sizzle in the pan and create a yummy, crunchy, and sugary bite to the baklava. Let it cool completely before removing the slices from the pan. I dare you to try to only eat one piece at a time because it is really hard to not want to eat the whole thing! (It's actually pretty easy if you have self control.)
I always wonder what food bloggers eat when they aren’t baking or cooking all of the beautiful meals they showcase on their blog. Do they make those kinds of meals for themselves every night? Do they secretly eat fast food all the time? Do they just not eat at all because they are sick of food? (NEVER. Us food bloggers could never get sick of food! Nom nom nom nom!)
As I was pondering this question one day, I told Cory that I wanted to add a weekly post to the blog showing everyone a normal meal for us. He wasn't sure anyone wanted to see pictures of his pre-packaged kung pao chicken, even if it's insanely delicious, but I assured him we'd showcase my meals only. I always have my phone out taking pictures of my food whether I’m out or eating in. (Read: I'm always instagramming, 24/7.) So, I have decided, that every week I will post a few photos from my food journey. I can’t promise that all the food will be exciting, but hey, it’s what I’m eating!
This Week’s Eats included:
Pesto Pasta with Chicken Apple Sausage and Artichokes (homemade by me)
Coconut Lemon Bars made for my employee who left us (Hi Jen! We miss you!)
Peach Moon’s at home
Dinner out for my Dad’s birthday at Taverna Tony in Malibu (delicious appetizers like hummus, tzatziki, and baba ghanoush as well as some sort of yummy pasta dish)
Grilled Bok Choy and Salmon with Cilantro sauce as well as a Mango and Raspberry fruit salad (homemade by my momma)
Standard weekly night out at our favorite BBQ restaurant (grilled boneless/skinless chicken breast, BBQ tri tip, and a side of quinoa cooked with lemon, mint, and green onion)
... and my French inspired meal with a Brie cheese and brown sugar appetizer and the most delicious ratatouille (both homemade by me)
So much delicious food for the first week! How can I beat this deliciousness?! (Kung pao chicken?) I guess we will have to wait until next week to see!
I am sure you all noticed the delicious looking lemon curd from my Mother’s Day bread recipe post. It was such delicious spread to put onto that Cherry-Almond Bread that I wanted it to have it’s own post.
So, for this Cakebakes Quickie I present to you, the quick Lemon Curd. I am a sucker for anything lemon and use it in most everything I cook... which makes for some really bad recipes, but darn it, I need my lemon! I have always wanted to try to make my own lemon curd and this was my chance. This recipe is a winner! Thick, sweet, and the perfect amount of sour combine to make this a delicious spread or filling for most sweets. As you saw, we had put it on the bread, but other popular usages are to put it on a muffin or toast, bake it into a tart, pie filling, or even to make ice cream. I even used it to make Coconut Lemon Bars! I highly recommend this quick yet versatile spread you can keep in the fridge and pull out when you need to add a burst of lemon flavor to a dish.
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
Recipe from Cookingforkeeps.com
4 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
⅓ cup lemon juice
3 ½ tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
pinch of salt
Plant and grow a lemon tree.
In a medium sized saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together until combined. Cook the lemon mixture over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Be sure to whisk frequently.
Once the mixture is thick, remove it from the heat and add the butter and salt. Whisk until melted. Once the butter has melted, you’re done! Just like that!
Put the lemon curd into an airtight container and let cool before using.
I know it sounds lame and cliché, but I have the best mom to ever exist. Scratch that, second best mom after Cory's mom. My momma is one of the most important people in the world to me. She has always been there for me no matter what. My mom would do anything for me. She would swim across the sea to rescue me from pirates or fly me to the moon so I could see the stars closer. Though, admittedly, I'm not sure even she would want to be stuck in a spaceship with me for that long!
My mom is the craziest and funniest mom around. Her dancing skills were unfortunately passed down to me and her singing skills are outrageously... special. She loves to read and can’t get enough of crime shows. (I’m actually sitting in the living room with her as I am writing this and she is on the other side of the couch zoned out on Bones. She’s obsessed.) She cries and laughs too loudly in the movie theatre and does a great impression of a drunk grandma (practice will make perfect). She loves to shop and frequently enjoys a late night ice cream binge.
I could go on and on about my mom and how much I love her, but what does that have to do with this recipe? She picked it! Cory and I were lingering around the kitchen trying to think of what we should make for our Mother’s Day post (yes we do realize this post is not coming until after Mother’s Day, but we can’t bake something on Mother’s Day and post it right then and there!). She happened to walk through the room as I was looking through the catalog we had just gotten in the mail from William Sonoma. The first recipe I saw was Cherry-Almond Quick Bread and I read the name out loud. “Make that. That’s what I want on Mother’s Day”, she said. Well, OK, then. I had not even read the recipe or the ingredients list yet, but knowing how much my mom loves almonds and cherries, I knew she would love it.
While the ingredients are simple and the recipe was extremely easy to make, my mom loved it! The cherries and the slivered almonds gave the bread a tart and warm flavor with a bit of a crunch. A dollop of my homemade lemon curd (recipe coming next week!) pushed the bread over the edge of deliciousness! I urge you all to whip this bread up for yourself or for you mom. You don’t need a special occasion to let her know you love her. I guess I should take my own advice and go make her some more of this bread since we ate it all already...
Ingredients
Cherry-Almond Bread
Adapted from William-Sonoma
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Dried Cherries, Chopped
1 Cup Slivered Almonds, Lightly Toasted
¾ Cup Milk
2 Eggs
8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Butter, Melted and Cooled
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 8” x 4” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt). Mix in the cherries and the almonds.
Next, in a separate bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, butter, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients into the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula only until everything is combined. Be sure not to over mix.
Pour the bread batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes (mine took closer to 60-65 minutes). Use the toothpick test to check the center of the bread to make sure it comes out clean before removing it from the oven.
Put the bread onto a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes, remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool by itself on the wire rack.
Enjoy the delicious bread on its own, with a dollop of butter, a delicious jam, or some sweet and tart lemon curd (lemon curd pictured above, recipe for it to come soon!).
The month of May means many things. Graduations, the coming of summer, Mother’s Day (which we will get to next week, hopefully), Cinco de Mayonaise... but least most importantly, it is my boyfriend’s birthday.
This year he is turning two-seven and is one of the hardest people for me to shop for, and trust me, I'm great at shoppin'. He never tells me what he wants for Christmas or his birthday! He drops subtle hints for months, which I don’t pick up on because I’m probably too busy zoning off, and then expects me to catch them all! He claims he outright tells me, but that I'm too busy wondering if my outfit is cute enough that day or not. He's admitted that I've gotten much better at my gift giving since I went down on the amount of clothes and up on the fun gifts. Though, who doesn't want more clothes! Am I right!?
One thing I know I can rely on to make him happy for his birthday is his favorite birthday cake, more affectionately known as the, "Log Cake." Ever since he was little his grandmother had been making him an ice cream roll cake. The cake has to be chocolate, the ice cream has to be vanilla, and there has to be walnuts. Last year I took on the roll cake and did pretty well. This year I set out to master it and ended up with some broken cake and melted ice cream. I think maybe one day I will make it as legendary as his grandma. I haven’t done it yet, but I will keep trying. I doubt I'll ever live up to those standards.
Ingredients
Chocolate Ice Cream Roll Cake
Adapted from Kraft Recipes
6 Oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Cup Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
⅔ Cup Water
¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
1 ½ Cups Cool Whip
Walnuts
Vanilla Ice Cream
*Equipment Note: You will need a standard sized jelly roll cake pan. They are usually 12 ½ x 17 ½ x 1 inch. You will also need a kitchen scale for measuring the chocolate chips unless you want to eyeball 6 ounces!
As a note, I've used Fat Free Cool Whip and Lactose free Breyer’s Ice Cream since we are lactose intolerant! You may be adventurous and use whatever ice cream you prefer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray your cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and cover the bottom with wax or parchment paper.
In a separate bowl, beat the 4 eggs with a stand or hand mixer for about 3 minutes. The eggs should be thick and creamy. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg and mix until just combined. Add the baking soda, ¼ cup of flour and a little bit of the water. Mix until combined. Do this step three more times ( ¼ cup flour and some of the water) until you have added the full 1 cup of flour and all the water. Spread the batter evenly into the cake pan.
Bake the cake for 20-35 minutes (Mine took closer to 45 minutes, but I think my oven was being strange). Use the toothpick test to make sure the cake is done before removing it from the oven.
As soon as you take it out of the oven, sprinkle it with the powdered sugar, peel off the wax or parchment paper, and invert the cake onto a clean dishtowel. Gently roll the cake up and the towel together and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cool, slowly unroll the cake and place it on the platter you want to serve it on (make it small enough to go in the freezer!). Make sure not to let the cake harden in the towel or else it will break when you unroll it. Trust me, I learned this the hard way! Once unrolled on the platter, spread the ice cream (which will need to be slightly softened) onto the cake.
Quickly reroll the cake up and stick it immediately into the freezer while you make the frosting. Also, be sure to do this quickly since my ice cream melted out the sides and looked like a crazy mess!
For the frosting, microwave the remaining 3 ounces chocolate chips and the Cool Whip for 1 minute on high. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until silky and then let it cool for one minute.
Remove the cake from the freezer and frost the outside, then, place as many walnuts as you like in top of the cake. Place it back in the freezer for at least one hour. Cut, serve, and enjoy my boy’s favorite birthday cake!
We're trying to settle into this new schedule and this so happens to be an off week for us. So, we've uploaded the full album of photos for the Zucchini Bread, but most importantly...
Business cards!
To help us get the word out there, we've custom made our very own little cards. Though, there's no subtle off-white coloring. No tasteful thickness. Oh my God, it does have a watermark! Kind of. I made them cute, however, and that's what matters. You may have noticed we've only put Anna's name on them. Mainly, as we all know, she's the face of Cakebakes. I may do everything else, but it's her face that sells it!
If you know us, and most of you do, just let us know and we'll get you a card! Chances are, one of us has probably forced one on you anyways... but, hell, we're excited and proud!
And, we've been hard at work for next weeks recipe. (Whisper: I had to force her to make my birthday cake.) This weekend has been spent making smoothies, partaking in a little Conejo Valley Chili Cook-Off and stiiiiitchiiiinggg. We'll most likely show off more stitching the week after next, but for next week: birthday cake!
So, uh, yea... don't forget to like us on Facebook, and Twitter, to learn about new updates and posts!
Spring is fighting its way through here in Southern California... oh, shoot, nevermind... it's summer now. We had a few days in which the temperature got up into the 80’s, but then it dips back down to the low 70’s. This past weekend was particularly gloomy, blustery, and cool. No rain, but still very non-motivating weather.
As mentioned in our previous post by the boy, we have been hard at work in our yards. Mulching, planting, dirty faces and bruised knees have filled our past few weekends. I have multicolored ranunculus and brightly colored, yet dangerous, succulents on the patio. And by dangerous, I mean, I keep it at chub dog eating height... we're currently in the learning phase of figuring out bark nuggets aren't actually part of a healthy diet. No joke, but she'll get it someday! Anyways... I've managed to save the seventeen rosebushes that have been in my yard almost as long as I have been alive and they are now rewarding me with beautiful blooms. Spanish lavender, jasmine, Mexican sage, and rosemary are fragrant and beautiful in the backyard. We had more yard projects to start work on last weekend, but the weather was so gloom and doom we didn’t want to go outside. Instead, we baked!
What is the perfect recipe for a cool and cloudy spring day? Zucchini bread, of course! You'd be wrong if you said anything else... dead wrong.
A family recipe I have been devouring since childhood was the perfect fit. This is one of those recipes the whole family loves and lusts after. My aunt would walk into a party with a big basket full of zucchini muffins and they would barely even make it to dessert. My cousins and I would grab two at a time for ourselves. I'd stuff at least three into my purse, on top of the five in my mouth! What a sight!
Zucchini bread represents spring with its lovely and green, freshly shredded zucchini, while keeping the cozy and warm feeling of winter with the nutmeg. The walnuts add a nutty flavor, as well as a must-have crunch. Whether it be a zucchini bread loaf or zucchini bread muffins, this is a recipe that should be a standard in every baker's kitchen, or at the very least, on every reader's plate.
Ingredients
Zucchini Bread
Yields One 9x3 loaf, 12 Muffins, or 3 Mini Loaf Pans!
(my mini loaf pans are 5.75x 3.25x 2.5 inches, IF you were wondering)
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini (about two zucchinis; do not pack measuring cup)
1 ½ cups walnuts, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or, until it is nice and fluffy. Next, add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until combined.
Next, add the dry ingredients. I know all you bakers out there are wondering, “why all at once, you always mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and them add them a little at a time to the batter!” Yes. I am fully aware of this, BUT, my family came up with the recipe and this is how it is written and my zucchini bread always comes out delicious, so now, you do it my way! (Sorry, that was aggressive, I'm super rebellious).
After adding the flour, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg, it is time to add the zucchini and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
It needs to be shredded, I use my Cuisinart for that. With the shredding attachment I shred two zucchinis. If you do not have a Cuisinart, I am not sure how you would get the little strips of zucchini! You can chop them by hand, but make sure you get them very thin like in the pictures. If I find, or think of anything, I will update the recipe.
Stir with a spoon, or mix on low speed, the walnuts into the batter.
Grease your pan (or muffin pan OR mini loaf pans OR just pour the batter directly into your mouth) with non-stick cooking spray and divide the batter up evenly if you have multiple cooking vessels. Make sure you are filling the pans up ¾ of the way with batter. If you are a fan of walnuts and a little extra crunch, go ahead and press some walnuts into the top of the batter for a golden touch.
Bake the zucchini bread in the oven for 20 minutes and then check for doneness. My three mini loaf pans ended up taking 45 minutes in total! It all depends on what form you are baking in. Use the good old toothpick to the center trick to check for doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done, and if it has batter on it set your alarm for another five minutes. Check the bread every five minutes until it is your desired doneness.
When done baking, pull the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack. Make sure it is cooled before removing it from a loaf pan or else it will fall all over the place when you remove it from being too warm and delicious! Once cool, remove from the pan, slice, and enjoy (and try not to eat it all at once).
Busy, busy! Between Easter celebrations, gargantuan yard work projects, visiting family, and promotions. (Congratulations, girl!) There are also some Cakebakes business cards in the mail for those who might catch us in person. And, we're still trying to figure out the best schedule for this whole baking thing! Perhaps I should let Anna bake and not force her to stucco my house... but I digress... We'll be baking it up this afternoon for next weeks post. Zucchinis are involved.
Not wanting to go without giving our wonderful followers (yes, you're wonderful... specifically you) something to salivate over I've decided to get around to uploading the full photo sets from each of our recipes. You can view them over at our Facebook page. It's a veritable treasure trove of delicious treats.
And I apologize in advance if I spam any of you on there. I've got about 200 photos to upload. I haven't done this before! Hopefully it doesn't tell you about each one. If it does, well... yell at Anna.
Remember, if you've baked up one of our delectable dishes and would like to be featured, feel free to contact us. We'd love to show you off. And, while I just linked our Facebook page, I have to, again, for posterity's sake. So, don't forget to like us on Facebook, and Twitter, to learn about new updates and posts!
Feel the rain on your skin 'cause no one else can feel it for you,
