I can't believe it's been like....two weeks since I posted anything. I feel so lazy, ugh!!
I was going to post a lot more over spring break, but I had a terrible allergic reaction to a new sunscreen I tried and wasn't really able to leave the house for the entire week. It was terrible and totally ruined the break, so I didn't really feel up to blogging. Bummer!
Anyway, Friday was my mothers birthday. We're pretty low key about birthday's in my family, usually going for some kind of family trip or just having a nice meal at home/in a restaurant. We're really just not party people, I suppose:)
A few months ago, I posted this, where I detailed 10 dishes I was absolutely going to make this year. I've already crossed off numbers 1 (stuffed Vidalia onions) & 4 (pasta aglio, olio, e peperoncino), but today I get to add a new one!
Ta Da!
Obviously, I'll never be a professional cake decorator, but it was sooo much fun to make and decorate. I knew as soon as I saw this yummy, candy colored cake that it would be something my mom would go totally nuts for, and I was right!
Since it was her birthday cake, she picked the type of cake and I went with it. She chose a lemon cake, and I added a raspberry liqueur buttercream frosting. So tasty!
I really wouldn't actually recommend that you guys make this particular cake with the candy, because (in my opinion, at least), the flavors of lemon and chocolate just don't go together that well.
But hey, birthday girl gets to pick, right?
:)
The lemon cake is absolutely fabulous though, and perfect for summer. If you or someone you love likes lemon, this is the perfect surprise!
Lemon Cake Recipe:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
Zest from 6 to 8 lemons (I used five lemons, and got roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of zest, which was perfect)
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from about two lemons)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Don't be intimidated by the weird/lengthy ingredient list!
Instructions:
1) In one bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, combine the lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
2) In yet another bowl, (this one attached to a mixer!) cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (~5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest while the mixer runs at medium speed.
3) Alternately add your flour and lemon juice mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.
The baking pans are totally up to you- the recipe calls for loaf pans, but I used a medium sized cake pan, sprayed it with cooking spray, and baked three layers for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. As usual, check for doneness with a sharp knife or toothpick. When it comes out clean, it's done!
If you want to rapidly cool, like I had to, slide the hot cake on a pan and find a shelf in your freezer that isn't near anything else. Freeze the cake until it's about room temperature, and you'll be able to frost/devour the cake much, much faster!
Recipe found here.
Sixlets Cake recipe found here.
If you try, let me know how you like it!
Until Next Time,
Ashley
I was going to post a lot more over spring break, but I had a terrible allergic reaction to a new sunscreen I tried and wasn't really able to leave the house for the entire week. It was terrible and totally ruined the break, so I didn't really feel up to blogging. Bummer!
Anyway, Friday was my mothers birthday. We're pretty low key about birthday's in my family, usually going for some kind of family trip or just having a nice meal at home/in a restaurant. We're really just not party people, I suppose:)
A few months ago, I posted this, where I detailed 10 dishes I was absolutely going to make this year. I've already crossed off numbers 1 (stuffed Vidalia onions) & 4 (pasta aglio, olio, e peperoncino), but today I get to add a new one!
Obviously, I'll never be a professional cake decorator, but it was sooo much fun to make and decorate. I knew as soon as I saw this yummy, candy colored cake that it would be something my mom would go totally nuts for, and I was right!
Since it was her birthday cake, she picked the type of cake and I went with it. She chose a lemon cake, and I added a raspberry liqueur buttercream frosting. So tasty!
I really wouldn't actually recommend that you guys make this particular cake with the candy, because (in my opinion, at least), the flavors of lemon and chocolate just don't go together that well.
But hey, birthday girl gets to pick, right?
:)
The lemon cake is absolutely fabulous though, and perfect for summer. If you or someone you love likes lemon, this is the perfect surprise!
Lemon Cake Recipe:
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
Zest from 6 to 8 lemons (I used five lemons, and got roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of zest, which was perfect)
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from about two lemons)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Don't be intimidated by the weird/lengthy ingredient list!
Instructions:
1) In one bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, combine the lemon juice, buttermilk, and vanilla.
2) In yet another bowl, (this one attached to a mixer!) cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (~5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest while the mixer runs at medium speed.
3) Alternately add your flour and lemon juice mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.
The baking pans are totally up to you- the recipe calls for loaf pans, but I used a medium sized cake pan, sprayed it with cooking spray, and baked three layers for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. As usual, check for doneness with a sharp knife or toothpick. When it comes out clean, it's done!
If you want to rapidly cool, like I had to, slide the hot cake on a pan and find a shelf in your freezer that isn't near anything else. Freeze the cake until it's about room temperature, and you'll be able to frost/devour the cake much, much faster!
Recipe found here.
Sixlets Cake recipe found here.
If you try, let me know how you like it!
Until Next Time,
Ashley
