Custom Cake for Kate

I did a custom birthday cake for a special girl this week! Yellow cake filled with my homemade blackberry jam frosted with vanilla buttercream. The reviews from the birthday girl were great- it was happily devoured by a group of teenage girls!

Wedding Cake

I just finished my last class for my baking certificate, Wedding Cakes! For our final we had to design and bake a cake start to finish. I made a white cake layered with fresh strawberries and iced with vanilla buttercream decorated with sugared roses. I love it!

Cake Decorating Final

I baked a layered Chocolate Cake frosted with American Butter cream and filled with Mixed Berry Jam. The mushrooms on top are made out of fondant and the mushrooms around the cake are made of royal icing.

Cake Decorating

This semester I've been taking a cake decorating class. I like the class but it's really been testing my patience! The importance of fines details makes everything take so long!

I killed two birds with one stone while making this cake! My cake decorating class called for "an adult birthday cake" while my color and design professor said design a cake with complimentary colors (green, orange and violet are a triad on the color wheel)! This was definitely great practice, baking a cake from scratch and decorating it! I used a recipe from my Chef Instructor, Apple Sauce Cake with Cream Cheese frosting. Super tasty and moist, my class loved it! [I'll post the recipe when I stop being lazy]

In two weeks I have my final cake due! The assignment is to use four techniques we've learned in class which leaves lots of room to be creative. I already have my design figured out! It's uhh... I think I'm going to leave you guys hanging! I promise in a few weeks I'll have it posted (;

Molten Chocolate Cakes

Before...

After!

What can I say?... I'm a chocolate addict
If you've never eaten one of these beauties I recommend you stop what you're doing and start baking! They're absolutely delicious, elegant. satisfying and easy!

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus 1/4 pound (1 stick)
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease and flour the ramekins with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of flour in each, tapping out the excess flour. Set on a baking sheet. In a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, melt the remaining 1/4 pound of butter with the chocolate, cream, and powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt until thick ribbons form, about 3 minutes. Sift 2 tablespoons flour into the egg mixture and fold together. Fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Divide among the prepared dishes and bake until the sides of the cake are set and the tops are puffed but still soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the ramekins for 2 minutes, then unmold onto dessert plates.

* 12 minutes was is a perfect time to take the cakes out. I let them cook for 16 minutes and it was a bit too much...

Vegan Coconut-Lemon Bundt Cake

 Absolutely delish and super easy! It came out dense, moist and very flavorful.  I love to try Vegan baking every now and then because it gets you comfortable with different ingredients and techniques. Plus, the shock value of telling someone its Vegan after they take a bite is priceless!

  

Vegan Coconut-Lemon Bundt Cake

1 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar

2/3 cup canola oil

1 (14 ounce can) coconut milk

1/2 cup rice or soy milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

confections sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350'F. Lightly grease an 8' or 10' Bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil, lemon juice, coconut milk, rice/soy milk, zest and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in batches to the wet ingredients, mix well. Fold in the coconut.

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or unitl the edges are browned and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Then place a cutting board over the cake, gently flip over and release the cake. Let cool completely then sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Every year my parents and I spend the weekend in Carmel for my Dad's birthday. It's hands down, one of my favorite places in the world!

 

 

Baked his birthday cake: chocolate almond flour cake with a layer of blackberry whipped cream covered with chocolate ganache.... He's a chocolate lover for sure!

Amazingly beautiful Point Lobos State Reserve in the Carmel Highlands

  

  

My favorite spot in Carmel! Romantic courtyard with an art studio inside.