cake
Banana Buttermilk Layer Cake
For the first time in years I have an oven that bakes cakes perfectly. The temperature is exact, the heat even. We’re on a bit of a roll with birthdays in this family at the moment so it’s been getting a bit of work out and each and every time, the cake has been baked to perfection. I’m pretty excited by this and I’m in the baking mode! I experimented with an old recipe for my son’s class birthday cake, which turned out well. This weekend I expanded on it again, and I’ve come up with a pretty delicious banana buttermilk layer cake. It’s also fairly simple to make.
Chocolate & Meringue Cake
We had a couple of celebrations for Guillaume’s birthday this weekend. He actually turned 40 a couple of weeks ago but he was working in Sydney at the time, so it really wasn’t until this weekend that we were able to celebrate it. On Saturday night, we hired a babysitter and I took him out to dinner at Depot, a very cool restaurant here in Auckland and last night we did the birthday cake. With kids you just can’t escape the birthday cake and candles, they’ve been hassling me for it all week – not that I’d want to miss it anyway, I’ll take any excuse for cake…
An Unexpected Chocolate Almond & Orange Cake
Last week I was in charge of the dessert for the meal before my parents returned home to Sydney. To fulfil my recent attempt at wheat free living, I decided to make a flourless chocolate and hazelnut cake that I’ve made a couple of times out of an old Gourmet Traveller cookbook dedicated entirely to chocolate. I’ve always loved it; the hazelnut meal with the good quality chocolate makes it so decadent.
Rapadura Butter Cake with Strawberries & Vanilla Bean Cream
My middle child turned four last week and I asked him what cake he wanted for his birthday dinner. He was adamant that he wanted a cake with strawberries and cream. I don’t know where he got that from because I don’t recall making one like that in the years that he’d remember. Anyway, strawberries and cream it was.
Read more on Rapadura Butter Cake with Strawberries & Vanilla Bean Cream…
Chocolate & Raspberry Dessert Cake
It was my eldest son’s sixth birthday yesterday and the lucky boy would have enjoyed three birthday cakes this year: One to share with his class, one with the family and another tomorrow for his party! While the school and party cakes are of the sweeter, colourful childlike style, last night I thought we’d enjoy something a little finer, to develop those little taste buds – a chocolate and raspberry dessert cake.
Banana & Pear Cake
An overripe banana is a rarity in this house, so if the occasion occurs I almost always make a banana cake or a variation of it, depending what I have on hand. Yesterday I had only one banana so I made a pear and banana cake. It’s simple and as far as cakes are concerned, uses not too much butter and sugar.
LEMON & ROSEMARY CAKE
One of my oldest and dearest friends, Leanne, always gives the best gifts; you know ones that always get it right? One of the (many) gifts that she’s given me over the years is this wonderful cookbook called, “Crazy Water Pickled Lemons” by Diana Henry.
