This one, you've got to hear. I dish on (among other things) nasty blog comments, fighting blog fatigue, unicorns, and eating disorder recovery.
Video: How to Make Olive Oil Coconut Macaroons
Hi guys and girls! I made a video explaining the art of how to make coconut macaroons with olive oil. SPOILER: it does include a pug, and unicorns.
View the full recipe here.
20 Tasty Green Foods For St. Patrick's Day
The theme of today's post is GREEN. That's the color associated with St. Patrick's day, and the color of all the food you should eat on March 17. Here are 10 green foods that can help you celebrate. Pairing with green beer optional.
1. Mint chocolate chip whoopie pies
Whoopie pies are great. But whoopie pies inspired by the prettiest ice cream flavor? All the better, and very appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. Recipe here.
2. Watergate cake
The connection to the scandal is tenuous at best. Following Watergate, many foods flavored with pistachio (said to be a favorite of Richard Nixon's) were dubbed after the scandal. This cake is only scandalous in its deliciousness. Recipe here.
3. Green Irish soda bread
Well, this one's easy. Take your favorite Irish Soda bread recipe...and add green food coloring. I much prefer this method to letting it mold over. The food coloring is a more delicious variation of green. Recipe here (untinted).
4. Candy salad
Possibly the tastiest method of eating your greens, ever. That isn't actual salad - it's candy and cake configured to look like it! Recipe here.
5. Princess cake
I can't say with 100 percent certainty why it's green, but it typically is, and it's a fun and fancy food. Featured in my second book, The Secret Lives of Baked Goods.
6. Shamrock shakes
Photo via Flickr member vasenka
It's not up to me to judge whether you make a homemade version or buy it at the evil empire fast food retailer. But it is a classic green food around this time of year. Homemade version recipe here.
7. Pistachio chocolate chip cookies
This is one of my favorite cookie recipes in the world. Find out why...Recipe here.
8. Something healthy
You can consider this intermission, or consider the fact that I made a banana and kale smoothie, and it actually tasted good. Recipe here.
9. Avocado cake
This remains one of my favorite recipes for Serious Eats. It basically employs avocado wherever a normal recipe would call for butter (I actually used butter, too, though). Recipe here.
10. Green tea ice cream
Photo via Flickr member Dong Kwan
I seem to see green tea ice cream on frequent offer at sushi places, but not so much at ice cream parlors. If you want, make your own, for a dignified green treat. Recipe here.
11. Mint oreo stuffed brownie cupcakes 
Go ahead. Stuff your cupcakes with mint fudge covered Oreos. It's only St. Patrick's day once a year. More info here.
12. Butter mint bars
A sugar cookie base with a thick, rich buttercream topping. I don't care that they're a Christmas treat. They're tasty right now, too. Recipe here.
13. Pistachio pudding pops
So simple. So perfect. This is my favorite flavor for Jell-O pudding pops. Or, fancy them up and make a two-tone variation. Recipe here.
14. Avocado pie
Pie? With avocado? Believe it. It's actually quite good. Recipe here.
15. Mint chocolate chip ice cream 
Photo via Flickr member aukirk
If you are one of those people who prefers the white variety of mint ice cream, then please, stay in bed all day on the 17th. I suggest, for the full experience, going to a local ice cream shop and picking this up. Read about how I shipped a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone to myself.
16. Mint Nanaimo bars 
Nanaimo bars are delicious any time of year, and making them minty gives you a reason to make the middle green and to call them St. Patrick's day appropriate. Recipe here.
17. Frog cupcakes
I suppose that you could make these sweet treats, but it's more fun to find them in their natural element. Read my essay about the Curious Case of the Frog Cupcakes.
18. Green buttercream
If you're making cupcakes on March 17, I don't care what flavor they are. Tint your buttercream green. That's all.
19. Mint chocolate chip cookies 
All it takes is some doctored up cookie mix to make these tasty green cookies, which are inspired by the ice cream flavor. Recipe here.
20. Green bagels
It's possible that your local grocery store or bagel shop has green bagels on the 17th. If they do, buy them. You must! Or, tint a batch of your own. (Untinted) Recipe here.
BONUS: rainbow cookies
They're a treasure, and they're not at the end of the rainbow: they ARE the rainbow. Or, make them all green for a St. Patrick's day treat. Recipe here.
What's your favorite green food?
Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies
It's a truly beautiful day. Why? Because of this: HOMEMADE SAMOAS.
Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links
The curious case of the St. Patrick's day frog cupcakes. (CakeSpy archives)
Easy (and super delicious-looking) coconut ice cream. (Bonjour Sucre)
Hold on to your recipes! Don't let the "cruffin" theft befall your recipe collection. (Seattle Times)
Batik painting on paper. Not cake, still sweet. (Craftsy)
The long history of food--and celebrity chefs. (Newsweek)
Crepe cake!! It's awesome and beautiful. (Matea Milojkovic)
I need one of these unicorn bowls. (Uncommon Goods) - via reader Dini!
SO dignified! Salted chocolate dipped orange and grapefruit slices. (Mayhem in the Kitchen)
The history of Alabama barbecue is deeply tied to civil rights and politics. (AL.com)
Just take a gander at this thick, beautiful homemade hot chocolate. (Molly Mell)
Tips for making fluffy vegan cakes and muffins. (One Green Planet)
Think you know a thing or two about buttercream? Test your knowledge with this fun quiz. (Craftsy)
In case you missed it: Snickers Cheesecake. (CakeSpy)
Book of the week: Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. It's famous. You've heard of it. You saw the movie. But have you looked through it? It's a true treasure, and a volume that everyone should own...even if they only ever look at, and never make, the aspic recipes.
How to Make Paleo Coffee, AKA Bulletproof Coffee
When I was in Asheville, several of my yoga school classmates became hooked on something sold at the Whole Foods nearby called "Paleo Coffee". Well, I didn't have too much interest in it until someone told me it contained butter.
What? Coffee with butter? That sounded awesome!
I was intrigued, and when I tried the stuff, I found that it was quite agreeable. Turns out, it was not only butter but coconut oil in addition that gave the coffee its rich, creamy flavor. Yes, I liked the stuff.
After Asheville, I promptly forgot about it until I happened upon this article in In Touch Weekly (one of my guilty pleasures fo'sho). I had to roll my eyes at it a bit, but then again, I have to say that the butter diet is one of the better ones I've come across.
They called it "bulletproof coffee" but it was the same thing that Whole Foods in Asheville had deemed Paleo Coffee. Either way, I think this stuff is worth a try. It's far cheaper to make it at home (I've seen it for sale between $4 and a whopping $8 per cup) and it's pretty delicious. While I will never ever suggest a fad diet to you, I think that this buttery coffee is a curiosity that is worth trying at least once!
Paleo Coffee, or "Bulletproof" Coffee
inspired by In Touch Weekly and Greenlife of Asheville
- 2 cups (16 oz) hot brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (I used unsalted)
Procedure: It's as easy as combining all of the ingredients, but I will give you a few small tips. First, you'll definitely want to use super hot coffee, because it needs to be hot to allow the coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, become liquid, and the butter to melt. Second, I suggest pouring the mixture into a bowl and mixing it all together with a whisk, because if you just stir with a spoon in the cup, it won't be vigorous enough to make the butter droplets go away. I find that it just looks better when mixed thoroughly.
Finally, be sure to drink it while it's quite hot. The fat will begin to separate as it cools, making for a less appetizing visual.
Have you ever tried bulletproof or paleo coffee?
Actually Good: Stout Beer Ganache
Do you like beer?
In general, I do not. But in recent years I have come to appreciate a few what I will call "fancy beers" - the type that cost more than the average six pack, have the word "handcrafted" somewhere on the packaging, and that the average football watching dude would probably scoff at.
The only problem is that a lot of the fancy beers only come in 22 ounce bottles. Now, as an occasional beer drinker, this is an insanely large quantity to me; I have never and probably will never be able to finish an entire bottle. And as it simply isn't the same the next day (flat!) and I'm the only one in my house who drinks it, it has been relegated to "occasional" treat, and I usually end up throwing out the un-consumed portion.
I hate waste.
So the last time I bought a fancy-ish beer called Cappuccino Stout, I had some, and then decided to experiment with the rest.
What would happen if I substituted fancy beer for cream in a ganache recipe? What would beer ganache taste like?
Well, given the success of chocolate stout cupcakes, I figured there was a chance that I could be successful. So I heated up the beer, and then mixed it with mixed dark and milk chopped chocolate in an equal quantity.
I let it sit until it firmed a bit, and here's what it looked like.
And as for the taste? Surprisingly good. Like, actually good. The beer didn't so much taste beer-y anymore, but it more imparted a malty, caramelly taste to the chocolate. If I had been given a sample and you'd asked me to do a blind taste, I would have said that it was some sort of malted chocolate sauce.
Stout beer ganache is definitely worth your time. I think I'll try it on top of brownies next!
Actually-Good Beer Ganache
- 10 ounces fancy stout beer (I used Cappuccino Stout by Lagunitas)
- 10 ounces chopped chocolate (I used a mix of dark and milk chocolate)
Note: you can use whatever quantity you like, as long as the beer and chocolate are in equal weights.
- Put the beer in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble (not to be confused with the fizz), like it's just shy of boiling.
- Either add the chocolate to the pan, or pour the hot beer over chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Mix until combined, and the chocolate has melted.
- Let set until it has reached cool room temperature. Enjoy as a cake filling, icing, or as a tasty dip for cookies.
Would you ever try beer ganache?
Three Ingredient Chocolate Cake
Well, technically it's four ingredients. But I happened to have ganache handy, so I didn't need to take any extra steps.
Even if you don't have ganache handy, though, this cake is incredibly easy to make. All you need is ganache, eggs, and sugar. If you have these things, you could be eating this cake within the hour. For reals.
This cake was inspired by the three ingredient peanut butter cake I made for Craftsy. The cake got a great reaction, because it's just so darned simple: peanut butter, eggs, sugar. That's it.
Of course, it also came with questions, ranging from the deeply boring ("Can I substitute non-sugar substitute?" and the like) to sensible ("can I use natural peanut butter?") to very interesting ("can I add chocolate?" "Can I substitute almond butter?").
Well, the questions about chocolate in particular intrigued me and my sweetheart, especially because we had a big old pan full of ganache in the kitchen (related: I love my life).
So, along with said sweetheart, a version of the peanut butter cake was made, but this time with ganache instead of peanut butter.
Well, let me tell you.
It was a bit flatter than its peanut butter counterpart, but it...was...freaking...delicious.
It is like eating the best parts of a chocolate layer cake, but condensed into one little dense form. It's simultaneously rich and oddly light.
Although it technically added more ingredients, topping the cake with whipped cream or ice cream is a really, really good thing.
I don't want to waste any more of your time, because every minute you read this is a minute less that you'll be baking this cake. So let's get baking! Here's how you do it.
Three Ingredient Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces ganache, weighed on a scale
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Lightly grease the top of the parchment paper, too. This will ensure easy removal later.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs until more than doubled in volume — about 8 minutes at high speed.
- Stop the mixer. Add the sugar, and beat one more minute, until fully combined, on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary.
- Stop the mixer. Add the ganache, and mix on the lowest setting only until no streaks remain and the color is consistent. You can also add the ganache by hand, gently folding it in to the egg mixture.
- Pour the batter in your prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Immediately run a sharp knife along the perimeter of the cake pan to loosen the edges. Let the cake cool completely before inverting on to a cake platter and serving. Store in the refrigerator, but serve at room temperature.
How would you top this cake?
CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts
Photo via Craftsy blogHow to create beautiful stippled (millions of dots!) drawings.
Think you know a lot about buttercream? Prove it by taking the buttercream quiz.
A primer on chicken flatbread sandwiches. Delicious!
Make eating easier: how to cut meat against the grain.
Roasted avocado slices. Best. Snack. Ever.
Gluten-free hummingbird cake. So. Good.
Create a beautiful batik-style painting on paper.
How to pack watercolors for travel. Good because I travel a lot!
Beautiful and inspiring beaded wedding cakes. (pictured top)
Last Meal-Worthy: Snickers Cheesecake Recipe
"If I could only eat one pie for the rest of my life, I would choose this one. It’s so incredibly good!" - so says Roy Fares in the headnote for this recipe, featured in the new book United States of Cakes: Tasty Traditional American Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Baked Goods
Now, the title might be a bit misleading - while you might be picturing sweets from sea to shining sea, the book is mostly set in Southern California. The author, Roy Fares, is an international pastry chef celebrity, and on his travels, the Los Angeles area intrigued him quite a bit--so he settled there to bake through some American favorites. It's a beautiful book, but don't expect a book like United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State
Snickers Cheesecake
Makes 12 pieces
Pie Shell
- 15 (200 g) graham crackers
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (100 g) butter
- 1⁄4 cup (40 g) sugar
- 11⁄2 tbsp (10 g) cocoa powder
- 1⁄2 tsp (3 g) salt
- Cheesecake Filling
- 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1⁄2 cups (600 g) cream cheese
- 3⁄4 cup (180 g) sugar
- 2 tbsp (20 g) all purpose flour
- 1⁄4 cup (59 mL (50 g)) whipping cream
- 2 (30 g) egg yolks
- 2 (110 g) eggs
- 1 1⁄2 (80 g) Snickers bars
- 1⁄2 cup (60 g) salted peanuts
Frosting
- 1 1⁄4 cups (300 g) cream cheese
- 2 tbsp (15 g) cocoa powder
- 3⁄4 cups (120 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1⁄2 tsp (11⁄2 g) vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 cup (50 g) whipping cream
Garnish
- Pieces of Snickers
- Salted peanuts
- Optional, cocoa powder for Dusting
Make the Pie Shell
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius), convection function. Run the cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. Melt the butter and add it. Add a little more butter if you think that the mixture is too dry to work with. Line a springform, 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter, with the crumbs, create an edge of about 11⁄2 inches (4 cm) high. Flatten the surface a little with the back of a tablespoon. Bake in the center of the oven for 7 minutes. Allow to cool.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius), convection function. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour in a bowl until fluffy. Whisk in the cream. Fold in the egg yolks one egg at a time with a spatula. Cut the Snickers into pieces and spread them over the bottom of the pie shell along with the peanuts. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top and smooth with a spatula. Bake in the middle of oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (105 degrees Celsius) and bake for 35 minutes (do not open oven door). Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake stand in the heat for another 25 minutes (which reduces the risk of cracking). Remove and let cool completely. Let the cheesecake stand in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, so that it hardens properly. Run a thin knife around the form’s edge before it is removed. Rinse the knife with hot water a few times during that process.
Make the Frosting, and finish up
Mix all the ingredients except the cream in a bowl and whisk until the mixture feels fluffy. Whip in the cream in batches until it becomes a smooth frosting. Pipe or spread the frosting over the cheesecake. Garnish with Snickers chunks and peanuts and, if you like, dust with cocoa powder.
What dessert would you choose if you knew it would be your last meal?
Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cake
Got eggs, peanut butter and sugar? You could be enjoying this cake in less than an hour. Really.
It's only three ingredients, but it tastes way fancier. Trust me: try this one.
Intrigued? Recipe here.
Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links
Melt or temper? Here's a guide to when to do what. (Baking 911)
Our history is jotted on recipe cards. A sweet essay. (Charlotte News Observer)
Gluten-free hummingbird cake. (Craftsy)
Virtuous no-bake lemon bars. They look delicious, virtue or no! (Sun Diego Eats)
A new book explores the history of nutritional supplements. Interesting! (NY Times)
Opening a young coconut. (Faye's Fork)
Fruity pebble cereal baked doughnuts. (American Heritage Cooking)
Cinnamon roll cheesecake? I'm into it. (Life, Love, and Sugar)
Bananas foster bread pudding. YES! (Grandbaby Cakes)
It's a good day to make Nanaimo bars, I think. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)
Brownies with coconut and matcha swirl. I'd give 'em a whirl. (Mainly Baking)
Awesome, inspiring beaded wedding cakes. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)
I am very into these saucepan brownies. (The Cooking of Joy)
Book of the week: Raising Unicorns: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Starting and Running a Successful - and Magical! - Unicorn Farm
Giveaway: CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar Filled Life
UPDATE: THE WINNERS!
I have chosen and contacted all of the winners who were chosen at random from the comments on this post and on Facebook - Congratulations!
Winners:
- Katrina, who chose Biscoff Pop-Tarts
- Donna, who chose (good idea)
- Mary, who had thoughts of strawberry rhubarb or cafe au lait Pop-Tarts.
All tasty! Cgongratulations again!
--------
Original post:
Hi friends! Happy Wednesday, sugary wishes, etc. Let me get straight to the point: I feel like giving away a few copies of my awesome first book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life
Why? Because if you are what you eat, then we should all eat more awesome and sweet desserts. It will likely make us all better people.
So what do you have to do to enter one of the three copies I am giving away? All you have to do is think about Pop-Tarts. Namely, Pop-Tarts that *should* exist. Like these:
All you have to do is comment on this post, or on my Facebook page, with an answer to the following important question:
What flavor of Pop-Tart do you think should exist, that doesn't quite yet?
It can be one of the ones that I've drawn on the above illustration, or perhaps a flavor that you've invented in your imagination.
I'll let you weigh in on this important subject for the next few days, and I'll choose three winners at random on Wednesday, March 11, at 5pm MST. Because shipping overseas is prohibitively expensive, this time the contest is only open to entrants with US shipping addresses.
Good luck!
Panettone Monte Cristo Sandwiches
I made something savory. Deal with it.
Well, as savories go, this Monte Cristo-inspired sandwich is sort of a crossover. The traditional sandwich features meat and cheese on bread, which is battered French toast style, toasted, and often served with confectioners' sugar and jam. So it's got one foot in the dessert world, even if technically, it's a savory food.
Honestly, I don't know why Monte Cristo sandwiches served on panettone aren't a thing. 
The lightly sweet, spongey bread is the absolute perfect carbohydrate for this sandwich: absorbent enough to get crispy and flavorful once toasted with the egg mixture, and with little fruits and bits and bobs which make the whole sandwich more interesting.
If you still think it's totally inappropriate that CakeSpy made something savory, well, I have this to say: you have to warm up for dessert somehow.
As hybrid foods that span sweet and savory go, this is an indulgent and delicious one. Here's how you make it.
Panettone Monte Cristo
Makes one large sandwich (suitable for sharing; or, double or triple the recipe)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk or water
- 2 thick slices of panettone (I used Bauli Pandoro Panettone di Milano, and cut "coins" off of the circular loaf)
- a few slices of ham
- a few slices of cheese
- mayonnaise and mustard to taste
- jam on the side, if desired
Procedure
- Mix together the egg and milk in a shallow bowl.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt a knob of butter in the pan.
- Brush the first slice of pannettone with the egg mixture on both sides, and place it in the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low. Toast each side until lightly browned, and remove from the pan to a plate on the side. Repeat with the second slice of pannettone. Turn off the heat for the moment.
- Once all of the sides of the pannettone are lightly toasted, spread mayonnaise or mustard on one side of each slice. Place whatever fillings you'd like inside, and sandwich the slices together.
- Put the heat back on to medium-low, and melt more butter in the pan if necessary. Place the sandwich in the pan, and toast on either side until nice and toasty, with the cheese melty in the middle.
- Remove, and serve in warm wedges. Serve with jam if desired.
Have you ever tried a Monte Cristo sandwich?
Italian in Your Mouth: Torta Caprese
Have you ever heard of Torta Caprese?
My sweetheart was enchanted by this recipe in Brooks Headley's book Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts: The Recipes of Del Posto’s James Beard Award–Winning Pastry Chef
According to the book, Torta Caprese is an Italian sweet, named for the island of Capri. This is a traditional version that gets its structure from "walnuts and the superpowers of egg whites".
It's a very thin brownie, so we decided it was better to serve them in little short stacks, like the one pictured (five brownies at once? How American!). Since they're so thin, it's really like making a DIY layer cake.
Every flavor shines in this recipe, so it's a good time to bring out quality ingredients: basically, your brownies will taste as good as the chocolate you use.
It's also naturally gluten free, "making it perfect for passover, or for that friend who is not eating gluten, for whatever very real or totally imagined reason."
Torta Caprese
Only slightly adapted from Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts: The Recipes of Del Posto’s James Beard Award–Winning Pastry Chef
Yield: 1 baking sheet of brownies
- Bittersweet chocolate, very best quality, chopped, 1 1/2 cups (200 grams)
- Walnuts, chopped, 1 3/4 cups (200 grams)
- Sugar, 3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup (150 grams plus 50 grams)
- Salt, 1 teaspoon * (4 grams) - note, original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons
- Unsalted butter, 2/3 cup (or, 1 1/3 sticks) (155 grams), melted
- Eggs, 4, separated
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, pulse together the chocolate, walnuts, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt, until you have chunks of chocolate and walnut that are not huge but not totally obliterated either. You don't want a paste. Avoid that.
- Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix well with a rubber spatula. Add the egg yolks, and stir to combine. Set the chocolate mixture to the side.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed, slowly adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beating continuously until the whites have a meringue-like texture. Do not overbeat.
- Fold the egg whites gently into the chocolate mixture, and pour the batter on to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan, and cut into chunks. This also freezes beautifully, and will last up to 2 months. Just thaw and serve.
How many slices would you stack for dessert?
Gluten-Free Hummingbird Cake Recipe
I have to tell you, guys and dolls: I am proud of this one. I made a gluten-free hummingbird cake!
You'll never miss the gluten in this one: it's rich, banana-y and best of all, coated in delicious cream cheese frosting.
Greek Yogurt Cake Frosting
Buttercream is amazing stuff. I mean, no part of the word is wrong: it's composed of equal parts "butter" and "cream". And the actual substance is great, too: butter, confectioners' sugar, a little cream, and sometimes even pink coloring.
Yes, I love buttercream. But today I've got to tell you that it's not the only frosting.
Greek yogurt cake frosting deserves your love, too. I would consider this more like a cream cheese frosting in that it has a tang, but the greek yogurt version has a unique texture, which is almost like a soft fondant, that makes it a fascinating food experience. I say you give it a try.
Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links
Look at this thing I ate in New Jersey. Read about it (and more). (CakeSpy)
Art related: what is gouache and how do you use it? (Craftsy)
Cherry-chocolate bombe dessert. You must see this! (Cherry Tea Cakes)
Snickers Poke Cake. Yes, Yes, Yes. (Crazy For Crust)
Gooey filled brownies. OMG. (Handle the Heat)
Chocolate Italian Love Cake. (Chew Nibble Nosh)
Purple sweet potato bao. Adorable! (Everybody Eats Well)
Stippling. What is it? How can you use it to draw cake? Find out here. (Craftsy)
A fun guide to tempering chocolate. (The Guardian)
Expert bakers share their secrets (Good Food AU)
Will the Oscars give Pump Street Bakery (mentioned in an acceptance speech) a sales boost? (Wall Street Journal)
Buckeye brownie cookies. Yes. (Tastes of Lizzy)
Neapolitan seven layer bars. #winning (The Domestic Rebel)
Homemade Vanilla Kreme Donuts a la Dunkin'!. (CakeSpy)
Book of the week: Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
Where in the World is CakeSpy This Time?
If you've been following me on social media lately, you've seen posts from a wide variety of locales, from Asheville, North Carolina to New York City to Litchfield County, Connecticut to...Amarillo, Texas?
It all might make one start to wonder: where in the world is CakeSpy? Where the heck IS CakeSpy?
Why don't we catch up so I can tell you where I've been and what I've been doing--and more importantly, eating.
Before I departed Asheville, I made three very important stops that I feel I should tell you about. The first was to Unicorn Farm Road. I need to tell you: THIS IS A REAL PLACE. One of my yoga school classmates told me about it, and basically I got there as soon as my GPS said I could.
I wouldn't say that the road matches its name (unless the unicorns are living undercover), but seriously. UNICORN FARM ROAD!
If that interested you, FYI, there is also a Unicorn Road in Newburyport, Massachusetts (also home of Eat Cake!). Just saying.
After Unicorn Farm Road (can you tell I love saying it?), we hit up Dough, a bakery that had been closed most of January for renovations. Well, it re-opened the day we left, and it had some truly glorious offerings, including their take on a Cronut...
and a cocoa nib doughnut...
And many things other than doughnuts, but we didn't try them.
Yumz. We took a few bites but saved some room, because I'd never been to Whit's Frozen Custard before. Yes, it's a chain, but it was a new chain to me. And I'm glad I went there. We got their version of a concrete, which you seriously could have turned over and it wouldn't have dripped out of the cup, it was that thick. I got the cookie dough version, thankyouverymuch.
Oh, and. It's a bonus fourth thing I did in Asheville, but I got new boots.
After I departed Asheville, North Carolina (read about what I ate in Asheveille!), me and my family packed up and drove to Richmond, VA to visit an old family friend. Time was at something of a premium there, but we did get a chance to enjoy a fantastic breakfast at Lulu's (red velvet waffle, anyone?), and to pick up some sweet treats at For the Love of Chocolate.
Photo via Lulu's Yelp page
We didn't have time to hit up Dixie Donuts this time, but I can tell you from my previous visits to Richmond, they're worth a visit.
From Richmond, we backtracked westward, ultimately bound for Santa Fe, New Mexico. But as that drive is impossible to do in one go, we had some pleasant side trips along the way.
First up was Knoxville, Tennessee. One of my yoga school classmates, Emily, lives there, so we stopped to visit! That's us together, above. We're cute, don't you think? We had lunch at an adorable place called Just Ripe, where they had pecan sorghum pie. We didn't get it, but I was intrigued. Note: Sorghum is big in this area. I was seeing it all over Asheville, too.
After lunch, we went to an adorable chocolate shop called Coffee and Chocolate.
Photo via Coffee and Chocolate's Yelp page
We also couldn't help a quick stop in this adorable gift store called Rala, which sort of reminded me of my old store! They have cute cards by Gemma Corell, pictured below.
I also saw this, in another gift store. I forget the name of the store, but the unicorn left a lasting impression.
We stopped for a quick dinner in Nashville, and I will tell you, this is my first time having BBQ there! We went to a place charmingly called Peg Leg Porker to partake. They also had locally made fried pies, which we tried...I promise, they tasted better than my picture looks.
We also stopped for a coffee at Crema, then were on our way.
Drive, drive, drive. We stopped in Arkansas so I could take a yoga class, but didn't stop too long otherwise. I didn't eat anything there, but I should let you guys know that I was able to knock Arkanasas off of my "50 states of yoga" list. Along with the trips detailed later, I am up to this point:
More driving, then we had a brief stopover in Oklahoma City to visit Whiskey Cake. I love this restaurant. It's weird because it's oddly chain-y, or it looks like they want to become a national chain, but while it's still a small chain, it's very good. We had (surprise) the whiskey cake.
Photo via Whiskey CakeNo visit to Pinknitzel or Ingrid's Kitchen this time, because then we were on our way to...
Amarillo, Texas. If you've never been to Amarillo, I'm not going to give it a hard sell. But I am going to tell you that if you dig a little, there are some fun bakeries to be found. There's Donut Stop, which is very old school but has good, "like Dunkin' Donuts used to be" sort of donuts. Because it is amusing, I will pause to show you some photos of Porkchop exhibiting curiosity about their donuts for a moment.
As a note, I bought a t-shirt there, which smelled like donuts (really). I didn't want to wash it! But, in case you were worried, I finally did.
There's also my favorite bakery in Amarillo, Belmar Bakery.
Belmar Bakery is my favorite probably because it's the same name as the town I grew up in, in New Jersey. It also oddly reminds me of a bakery called Freedman's that was in Belmar forever until last year. But this is in Texas.
They have a variety of not-fancy but sweet treats, ranging from kolaches (it's Texas, after all) to cupcakes to brownies. We picked up a nice variety of treats, including brownies, cookies, petits fours, and more. The brownies, in my opinion, were the standouts.
We also stopped at Braum's, a regional chain which has its last outpost to the west in Amarillo. I love their birthday cake ice cream.
Back in Santa Fe, we were delighted to pick up our favorite cake from Whole Foods (here's my homemade hack of it!). As a note, this one says happy birthday because it is an old photo. My birthday was in August, but you're allowed to send me a present if you like.
But after about 4 days back in Santa Fe, I was back on the road. I had a trip planned to New York City, Boston, and Connecticut, to try to make some publisher connections.
So, I got on a midnight plane and the next morning, found myself in cold, cold, cold New York City.
Right after hopping on a red-eye flight, I went straight into Manhattan, to Black Seed Bagels. It was a re-schedule; Arcade Bakery, the initial venue, was closed for the winter break.
Photo via Black Seed Bagels on Yelp
I walked by the new BAKED location on my way to the meeting, and I can tell you, Baked is good no matter if it's in Tribeca or Brooklyn.
Photo via BAKED Facebook page
I then got a rental car in New Jersey (it was a lot cheaper), stopped for a cookie with my parents...
and drove up to Connecticut. There, I had another meeting but then stayed with some family. To be a good houseguest, I made sure to get them a little cake. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but it was a tiny cake--about 5 inches. This highly adorable cake was purchased at Whole Foods, where they personalized it for me with a heart. Aww!
I also had time to stop at Love Heart's Bakery in Litchfield, which I already loved just based on the name, but loved even more once I tasted their English Toffee.
From there, I headed up to the Boston area, where I got to finally meet Andris of Baking Steel, with whom I am collaborating on a project. We talked pizza and steel, then I helped him with a pizza class.
Photo via Baking Steel
The next morning, I knocked Massachusetts off of my yoga list by taking a class at Dancing Crow Yoga, and then went to a meeting at Redeye Coffee Roasters in Hingham.
After that, I had a weather advisory so I basically headed back to New Jersey for a visit with my parents. First stop? Hoffman's ice cream. Even on the coldest week of the year, it's a necessary stop for me every time I go to NJ.
My dad had an impressive pastry from Mueller's in Bay Head on the same night, which I thought I would show you.
In NJ, I made sure to hit up some of my favorite places: Kane Brewing Company, Younique Yoga, and Rook Coffee.
I also had a standout pastry experience at Simona's Bakery in Sea Girt, NJ. We had gone there because their chocolate blackout cupcake was named one of the best in NJ. Well, we got one of those, but also a Fluffernutter cupcake, which was a melange of peanut butter and marshmallow. Look at it!
And now, look at how it looks in the center.
Now, I'm not one to even believe in the existence of "half a cupcake" (just eat the thing! is my opinion), but this cupcake was so large that it really was like two cupcakes, so I separated it into two portions. This means I got to enjoy it over two days. Score!
It was snowy and cold in NJ, so I spent some time doing stippling. You can read about it in this post I did for Craftsy.
I of course also hit up Nature's Corner for one of my favorite Shazaam cookies.
I headed back up to NYC, where I ate some pizza and recorded a podcast with Food Psych by Christy Harrison.
Oh, and I also got to go to City Bakery for some hot chocolate and an expensive marshmallow. Classic!
I stayed with my friend James, and he made gluten-free pancakes in the morning. I had never tried them before but these were actually quite nice--extra nice since they were made for me by a friend.
The next day, I went back to the city for a meeting and the editor had treats from Bouchon. Pinkies ouuuuut!
I went back to NJ, feeling like a real live commuter, and spent the night. The next AM, me and my mom went back to the city. We enjoyed the most frigid walk I've ever had, but we had each other's company.
We had a tasty dinner at Benny's Burritos, and I picked up some sweets at Zaro's Bread Basket at Penn Station (which hasn't changed a whole lot since this roundup).
The next day was my last in the city, and this is a good point to ask an important question: is it really a visit to NYC without a cupcake from Amy's Bread? I think not.
Have you ever tried Dough Doughnuts? Based in Brooklyn, this is a store that cannot be missed. They also sell their doughnuts at Whole Foods locations in Manhattan.
Photo via DOUGH
We got some coffee at Ms Delilah's, an adorable place with biscuits from Balthazar that they will dress up in a number of different ways.
Once at JFK, I was just happy to have survived the weather, and I was on my way back to Santa Fe.
Whew! What a few months it has been. I'm ready for a nap!
Happy Sweet Winter, everyone!
15 Awesome Punk Rock Cakes
If you consult the dictionary, punk rock is "a loud, fast-moving, and aggressive form of rock music, popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s". But it was so much more: a way of life, breaking free of the shackles of establishment and societal norms. And it came with some very assertive fashion. I remember being a child of the 80s and thinking the studs, Doc Martens boots, and plaid with zippers all over was sort of scary, but also very cool.
These fifteen awesome punk rock cakes reflect the creativity, fashion, and assertive, unapologetic nature of punk rock. The aesthetic is sometimes far from sweet, but they're all sweet to eat.
Punk rock! This cake definitely shows a punk rock edge, with a skull and crossbone flag, green flames, and an edgy punk rocker on the top tier. But the piece de resistance? The mohawk topper, which is cleverly configured from black licorice. Cake by Pastry Chef Jodi (no website).
An Australian bakery made this adorable Lego punk rocker cake for a kid's birthday, but I'd accept this mohawked morsel at any age! Via Sweet Eats.
The Clash is immortalized in sweet form in this cake, which features a realistic rendering of what is arguably their most famous album. Via Sylvie's Cake Creations.
I love this birthday cake that I found on Photobucket, and think that Olaf, whoever he is, is a lucky fellow. It features the Ramones' logo, with a delicate buttercream piped border. It manages to be cool and cute at the same time. Via Photobucket member hwilkes501.
This cake cleverly adapts a Sex Pistols album cover to be birthday (and kid!) friendly. Via Karli's Cakes.
Here's another variation on the Sex Pistols cake, for someone turning the same age! Via Once Upon a Cake.
This cake is anti-establishment at its most delicious. Combat boots, beer, and the punk rock battle call of "oi!" adorn the cake, which manages to be adorable in spite of its subject matter. Via Pinterest member Cindy Cortez.
Punk rawk! Many of the classic punk bands are reflected in these delicately decorated cupcakes, but my favorite part is the cupcakes with the hearts which are nestled between punk bands. But...what's with the Pink Floyd? I definitely felt that didn't quite fit in with the others!
Anarchy! Sweet anarchy! This cupcake captures a punk rock mentality with definite sweetness. Photo via Bleeding Heart Bakery, from a post by Cupcakes Take the Cake.
While I'm not sure where this image came from, I love the cake. The industrial Union Jack, formed from studs! The spiky ribbons around the bottom of alternate layers! The leather jacket-look of the crisscrossed layers! This cake is punk, but with panache.
How fun is this punk rock fashion inspired cake? It's got it all: a mohawk topper, plaid with buckles and zippers, a moto jacket-inspired bottom layer, and even a lining around the edges of Doc Martens boots. Via Party Animals Online.
The best way (ever) to make your teeth go rotten? With a Johnny Rotten caramel crunch cake, featuring a chocolate transfer with the famous punk rocker's visage. Via Flickr member Straight Outta Chocolate.
Chains form the bottom border on this DIY themed cake, which features punk plaid, anarchy symbols, and safety pins to form a punk themed, but very pretty, cake. Via Pinterest member Jessica Mooney.
In Arizona, a bakery called Cup n'cake dreamed up this glam yet punk-themed wedding cake. A classy octagonal base is stacked with round layers, all coated in black fondant, and decked out with metallic studs. The sophisticated layout and white flower make it wedding-appropriate. Via Cup n'cake.
I'm not sure exactly why a duck with a mohawk is hilarious, but it is. This cake, by an Albuquerque bakery, features a punk rock baby toy. Via ABC Cake Shop.