image

Orange Pound Cake

Monday February 22nd 2010

Warning: Baking this cake will fill your kitchen with the irresistible smell of oranges. This is a slightly modified version of a recipe I saw recently in Saveur. It’s a buttery pound cake shot through with freshly grated orange zest and soaked with sweet orange syrup.

Continue reading...

image

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

Monday February 8th 2010

So here’s the thing. I liked this cake so much that I immediately had to get it out of the house so I didn’t gobble down the entire pan. Find the logic in that, I know.

Continue reading...

image

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake

Friday October 30th 2009

Be still my little mouse heart: This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made.

Continue reading...

image

Boston Cream Pie

Friday July 17th 2009

When our friend Foroct Fralion celebrated a rather auspicious birthday a few weeks ago, it only seemed proper to make him a Boston Cream Pie, one of his favorite treats. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make one at home.

Continue reading...

image

Classic Whoopie Pies

Friday June 26th 2009

This recipe makes the quintessential whoopie pie. The cake is moist, chocolate-y, and dense. The filling is creamy, fluffy, and decadently sweet. If our friend D. Bunnyhunter hadn’t stopped by and taken it when he did, The Angry Chef and I may have come to blows over the last one. (Phew! Thanks, man!)

Continue reading...

image

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Wednesday April 22nd 2009

Hey, you! (Yeah, you!) Summer’s coming. Let’s go to the playground! Oh, or maybe the roller rink. Or both. Sorry…this cake makes me feel like I’m about 12 years old again. And I’m loving it. (Slumber party, anyone?) This is one of the best chocolate cake recipes I have, hands down. It’s also one of [...]

Continue reading...

image

Strawberries & Cream Cake

Monday March 30th 2009

Spring is coming. Bring on the strawberries! This cake has all the flavors of a classic strawberry shortcake—all in one cake. It’s great by itself, or served with a big dollop of creme chantilly, or scoop or two of good vanilla ice cream. This cake is good with regular, ole supermarket strawberries. For outstanding berry [...]

Continue reading...

image

Buttermilk Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Tuesday February 10th 2009

This has to be one of my favorite cakes. It’s remarkably tender and spicy—and covered in gloriously tangy cream-cheese and butter frosting. And the best part? It’s ridiculously easy to make. Combine the dry ingredients, beat in the wet ingredients, pop it in the oven and…voila! Slather it with rich frosting, slice off a big [...]

Continue reading...

image

Basic Cooking: How to Test a Cake for Doneness with a Toothpick

Thursday January 22nd 2009

Years ago now, I used to hang around a little cafe that a friend of mine owned. One day, she charged me with keeping an eye on a couple of cakes that were in the oven. Easy as pie (err, cake), right? The batter was made. I just had to yank them out when they [...]

Continue reading...

image

Old-Fashioned Pound Cake

Monday January 12th 2009

Technically, this is half-a-pound cake, since it only uses about a half-a-pound of each of the key ingredients. (Pound cake gets its name from the pound each of butter, sugar, and flour originally used to make it.) However you slice it, though, this cake is moist, dense, rich, and buttery. I prefer mine plain with [...]

Continue reading...