Cakes & Cupcakes
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Berry Lime Pound Cake (Egg-Free)
It recently came to my attention through a joking Instagram post that most people are super frustrated by the “endless” scrolling involved to get to a recipe in a blog post. I had no idea! I briefly felt embarrassed that I did not know. Hopefully I have not been boring everyone with my writing!
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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream
The stretch of time between the appearance of the first PSL (pumpkin spice latte) in September and Thanksgiving is pumpkin’s time to shine. I’ve written here before about the increased interest in other fall flavors, but pumpkin is still king. I know some people think pumpkin spice is “basic”, but I am not one of them. Pumpkin (and all squash) is delicious and pumpkin with warm spices is even better. But obviously a PSL is more about the spice (and sugar) than actual pumpkin.
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Apple Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
I heard from a friend recently that maple might be the new pumpkin spice. It’s been reported in a few places that, while pumpkin spice is not necessarily finished, interest in maple is on the rise. It may be the new flavor that helps us get into a fall mood. I think that is great news. I have always loved maple syrup, and like Buddy the Elf, I consider it a staple of my diet and baking. It’s great on lots of foods of obvious foods (pancakes, waffles, oatmeal) and some less obvious ones (butternut squash, carrots, salad dressing sweetener).
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Meyer Lemon Pound Cake
Spring has really arrived now. When it isn’t windy and rainy, the weather has been perfectly mild and sunny. I guess it might be spring fever, but I got it into my head that I needed to make lemon pound cake. In particular, I wanted to make one like the one sold at Starbucks, with a thick drizzle of lemon icing. But I’ve always thought that cake looked better than it tasted. Mine would look pretty, but it would also have a perfectly tender crumb and a bold lemon flavor.
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Cherry Blossom Cupcakes
It’s officially the first day of spring! March 20 is the Spring Equinox, and while that doesn’t mean an instant season change, its a nice milestone to celebrate. It means we are at least on our way to warm weather and beautiful gardens. And the weather even cooperated and warmed up a bit today, which made me happy. Sometimes it’s the little things, right? But we have had some strange weather this year in much of the country, including my home of Washington, DC. In February, it briefly seemed Spring had already arrived. We had several weeks of warm enough weather that plants starting blooming, setting off seasonal allergies. The National Park…
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Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! I’m excited. If you are still looking for something sweet to bake for the special people in your life, may I suggest this pretty cake? This recipe is loosely adapted from one in Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess, which I still love many years after getting it. Honestly, who doesn’t want to be a domestic goddess? #goals. I knew I wanted to make a bundt cake that combined chocolate and raspberry flavors. A lot of layer cakes incorporate chocolate and berry by having them in separate components – a chocolate cake with a raspberry icing, for example. But I have this adorable heart shaped bundt pan, and…
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Lemon Lavender Madeleines
I really enjoy baking with citrus in the winter. In general, I try to bake and cook with ingredients while they are in season: berries in the summer, apples in fall, etc. So my interest in oranges and lemons in the winter months is partially because most citrus is in season at this time. But there is also something really cheering about baking something bright and citrusy when the days are dark, cold and short. It feels like adding a little homemade sunshine into my life. Who doesn’t love that? So when I decided I wanted to make madeleines, small french tea cakes, I knew my classic vanilla recipe wouldn’t do. I…
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Banana Birthday Cupcakes
Even though you’ll never remember it, a first birthday is a big deal. It’s a celebration for your parents, and everyone who loves you, that you’ve all survived 365 days of firsts. From the first smile to the first illness, the first year is a roller coaster for everyone involved. A party is well-earned!