My 31st Birthday & Carrot and Pineapple Cake

Some time last year, before I was turning 30, I decided that I would take an honest look at my life and get real about the business of making change. I saw the dawn of a new decade as the perfect opportunity to do the things necessary to move forward. To move...at all. Hitherto my life had been plagued, ravaged, imprisoned, 13 years of it, by all the things I never faced. In the year ahead, when I was turning 31, I wanted to look back on the year prior and be able to say that I had indeed achieved my pursuit of happiness and true freedom. The kind of happiness that is in spite of everything else and the kind of freedom that has wings.

"To fly as fast as thought," he said, "to anywhere that is, you must begin by knowing you have already arrived." -- "Jonathan Livingston Seagull"

In my My Mother's Day Post I included a picture of my Mum holding me on my very first birthday. I think every first birthday is a celebration of the life that could be and a hope for the best from all the people who love you. But no one ever knows if or how long that will take to happen. It's taken me 30 years to learn that it's only the 'if' and not the 'how long' that matters.

Yesterday, I arrived at my 31st birthday and I was greeted by the best gift anyone could receive: I am alive! I am alive and from there the possibilities are endless.

"I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive."--Joseph Campbell

I had a fantastic birthday. All of the wishes from friends and family meant the world to me. My grandmother surprised me with a new Cuisinart ice cream maker to replace the one I over-filled and also a soft serve ice cream maker.

And she gave me these really cool sunglasses.
















My fiancé, Daph got me a ticket to Cirque Du Soleil's: "Ovo" and surprised me with the. best. news. ever. He's planning to come back to Boston in two months!!!





















I was really tempted to make the Chocolate-Walnut Cake I made a few months back as it was the best chocolate cake I've ever had, but instead I went with something else from Ina, and wow, I'm glad I did!

Carrot and Pineapple Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from The Goddess Herself, Ina Garten


Ingredients (for the cake):


2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup raisins (I omitted the raisins)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots, grated
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/3 cup crushed pineapple (The original recipe DID NOT call for this, and it's optional whether or not you use it. I added it in with the wet ingredients.)































































Ingredients (for the frosting):

3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 & 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
Half of 1 Vanilla Bean, scraped (Optional)

































For the decoration:

1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple and/or 1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans (this will act as the "glue" for the parchment). Line the bottom and sides of each pan with parchment paper, then butter and flour each pan.


Directions (for the cake):

In large bowl, mix sugar, oil, and eggs on medium speed until completely blended. Add in vanilla. In a separate large bowl, sift 2 and 1/2 cups flour, plus cinnamon, baking soda and salt together. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients until completely blended. In small bowl, mix raisins and walnuts in 1 tablespoon of flour. Add carrots and pineapple and fold into batter. Add nuts and mix until incorporated.
Split the batter equally among two pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until inserted cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean. Cool cakes completely in pan on wire rack.





































Directions (for the frosting):


















In bowl of electric mixer or large bowl, blend together cream cheese, butter and vanilla just until combined. Add vanilla bean pearls and mix. Carefully add in sifted confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated.
On large flat plate or cake pedestal, turn 1 of the cakes flat-side up. Using knife or offset spatula, frost the flat-side of the bottom layer of cake. Place the second layer on top of the frosted first layer, this time, rounded (or dome) side up, and evenly spread frosting over top and around sides of cake.

The 92 degree temperature didn't help my first attempt at rosette making, but I was happy with them.


































Decorate: Use remaining half cup of diced pineapple to decorate cake. For the nuts, I placed the prepared cake on wire rack and used my hand to apply nuts around sides of the cake.

♪Happy Birthday to you, I mean me, but you too if it's your birthday. ♫

I Miss You & Chocolate-Walnut Cake with Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

One of the hardest things about being in a long-distance relationship is how much I miss him--terribly; feeling like passengers' being driven in the car of a six-hour time difference and, the way his hand feels holding mine, craving that. This week he's been so busy readying the new flat closer to Paris, when we do speak, our conversations are relegated to the trifle and the essential. He's too exhausted for the usual in between incidentals that typically span hours. I've been trying to alleviate any guilt I feel about not being there to help by keeping myself busy with books, movies and, of course, cooking.

I also watch this video I didn't know he was filming of me, until he said so, taken on one of our last days together in November, and smile.


I received a beautiful letter and card from him today celebrating our premier anniversaire (that's one year anniversary in English), It smells like his cologne. Immediately, I was flooded with chills and the memory of the rush of our first hug in the airport.
The olfactory is a great and magical wonder, possessing a myriad of abilities, chief among them, the ability to transport. Good food posseses the same talent. Although I cooked for him nearly every day Mon Amour was visiting Boston, one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't bake. I promise to correct that when I visit him this summer. In the meantime, he visits my blogs and drools over my cupcakes.

One of the movies I spent some time with this weekend happened to be 'Chocolat', with Juilette Binoche. It was a sweet confection about a chocolate shoppe owner who has an aptitude for seeing what her patrons were missing in their lives and delivering it to them through the alchemy of the chocolate she selects especially for them.

I imagine, for me, she would have selected something rich, but also delicate; sweet, but nutty. As it happens, like this cake. The moistest, yummiest chocolate cake I've had to date.

How was that for a segue?

Fact: This is the best chocolate cake I've ever had. My grandmother seconds that!

Chocolate-Walnut Cake

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from: Ina Garten/ Beatty and Hershey's

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken (I made my own. Directions directly underneath ingredients)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 & 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
3/4-1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Remember when we made our own buttermilk for Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream using lemon juice? This time we're using Vinegar. To 1 cup of whole milk, add 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar, stir and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, until curdled. Stir again before adding to wet ingredients.

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Set your oven to preheat at 350 degrees F. To act as a sort of glue, butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line bottom and sides of 2 pan with parchment paper, butter again then flour. Shake out excess flour.
Into a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment), sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. On low speed, mix until combined. In a separate smaller bowl, add buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla, gently stir to combine with fork.
Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. With mixer still on low, Add coffee and mix just until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. If using walnuts, add 1/2 cup and stir in with fork.

*Batter will be very wet. That's normal.

Allow batter to rest in bowl for 10 minutes. Into the prepared pans, pour half of the batter into one and the remaining half into the other.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until tester inserted into cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for about 30 minutes, then carefully turn pans over individually and, using your hand to support cake, turn cake onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely before handling or frosting.

*When the cakes are nearly completely cooled, start making your frosting. *See below for instructions. Once cakes are cooled, turn one layer over, bottom side up, on large flat plate or cake pedestal. With an offset spatula or knife, spread top of upside down cake with frosting, sprinkle with small handful of chopped walnuts, if using nuts. Place the second cake on top of bottom layer this time, rounded side up. Top with generous mound of frosting and evenly spread down sides and over top of cake.

For decoration, Add chopped nuts to edges of circumference of cake (optional).


Whipped Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Sift confectioners' sugar and cocoa power (do not skip this step). In large heat-safe bowl, Microwave butter for 30 seconds or, in a pan over medium heat let butter just start to melt. Remove from heat and, with hand mixer on medium, cream butter for two minutes. Slowly add in sifted confectioners' sugar and cocoa power. Mix until combined. Still mixing on medium, Add in vanilla and, slowly add in milk. Continue to mix for 3-5 minutes, until frosting is light brown in color and fluffy.


















Flip one cake botton side up and add a layer of frosting
























After the bottom side of one cake has been frosted, place second cake on top, rounded side up and Add generous mound of frosting













When I began making this cake, despite the rain, it was day and there was natural light. By the time I was putting it together, it had begun pouring and turned completely dark outside. Just for the kitchen, I need to switch from energy saver bulbs to brighter lighting.

Share & Enjoy!

Happy Tears & Coconut Cupcakes (with Cream Cheese Frosting)

Mother's day has always been a challenge for me. I usually reserve deciding how I feel about it until the very end of the day. And whether or not I cried. And whether or not those tears were happy. Nearly eleven years ago, when I received a call telling me my mom had died, any childlike hope that she was going to get healthy and be the the mother I always wanted, needed, died too.
It has been said that nothing dies without something else being born. I believe that. Even though I lost my mom that day, in that moment, something else was born in me. Something worthy, beautiful, Divine...Life.
I've since made it my mission to learn what it is to truly be alive, not just existing or surviving, but flourishing, dancing, smiling, happy, beaming, ALIVE. For both me and my mom.
In the past year alone, I've made a new peace with her being gone. I turned 30. I fell in love with the most wonderful man on the planet and said "Yes" when he asked me to marry him. I'm back to doing the things I'm truly passionate about, like baking, with a newfound excitement, and I wouldn't change a thing. 9: 52 p.m. last night. Yes, I cried, but they were happy tears.















In honor of My Mom, Your Mom, All Mom's...

Coconut Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy and adapted from Martha Stewart


Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed sweetened shredded coconut
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg whites
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

I did not use the Seven-Minute Frosting, Opting for Cream Cheese frosting instead.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened(I used Philadelphia)
1/2 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar, approx. (until desired texture and sweetness is reached)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line traditionally sized cupcake pan with baking cups.

2. In medium sized bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, including shredded coconut.

3. In a separate large bowl, add butter and sugar, use an electric mixer to cream the two until light and fluffy. Add each egg to creamed butter and sugar individually, beating after each addition. Mixing on low, add in vanilla and coconut milk to wet ingredients.

4. Slowly add whisked dry ingredients to wet mixture, in three additions, mixing after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl.

5. Filling baking cups 2/3 full, spoon batter in baking cups of lined cupcake pan.

6. Bake cupcakes until lightly browned or tester inserted comes out clean, 20 minutes approximately. Leave cupcakes in pan and allow to cool on wire racks before frosting.

For Frosting:

In large bowl, Use an electric mixer to cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add in vanilla extract. While mixing on low, slowly add in confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time until completely incorporated and frosting is light and fluffy.

Put coconut flakes on large plate or flat surface, such as a baking sheet. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and gently roll tops of frosted cupcakes into shredded coconut, covering completely.

Serve and enjoy.

Lime-Ricotta Cake (with Blackberry sauce?)

In cooking, as in life, I aim to break or make as many of my own rules as possible. My grandmother once told me that if I was born in the 1600's I would have been suspected a witch. She meant it as a compliment. Suggesting that my independent nature would have gotten me into trouble. I'm relentless in that way. I was never one for "fitting in" even when it was uncomfortable not to.
So imagine my delight when I come across recipes that allot enough room for me to tailor to my own taste, or as is often the case, what I have on hand.
This cake is the perfect example of that. Originally called "Lime-Yogurt Cake," As it called for whole milk plain yogurt, I changed that to include whole milk ricotta, simply because it's what I had in the refrigerator. I'm sure the yogurt version would have been lovely, too. After making the blackberry sauce, I realized I'm not particularly fond of blackberries. That's just a matter of taste. The following day I made a strawberry sauce in its place. And was it ever delicious! I even found a use for the left-over blackberries...Ice Cream!


Lime-Ricotta Cake with Blackberry Sauce Strawberry Sauce

Recipe courtesy and Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (you can use one cup whole milk plain yogurt in its place)
1/3 cup canola oil (you can use vegetable in its place)
1 cup sugar
zest of one large lime, or two small
1/4 cup lime juice
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk (leave out the milk if using yogurt instead of ricotta)
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
Powdered (confectioners) sugar for sifting over cake *Optional

" Sauce:

12 ounces fresh blackberries, or strawberries, or blueberries, or pineapple (Anything you think you'd like on a pound cake, you'd love on this)
*Note: If using frozen fruit, start with half the water and add more if needed.
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

To make sauce:

Add the fruit you've chosen, water, sugar and lime juice. Pour into blender or food processor. Set to purée until very smooth. If using a seedy fruit, like blackberries, over large bowl, press puréed fruit mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Cover and refrigerate until cooled.

To make the cake:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-inch cake pan in thin layer of butter. If not using a springform pan, add parchment to bottom of pan to prevent cake from sticking.

Using a large mixing bowl, add ricotta, oil, sugar, lime zest and 1/4 cup lime juice. Stir until combined, using whisk or fork. Add eggs one at a time, mix well after each egg is added. In a separate smaller bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, using a large spoon, mix until thoroughly combined. *As original recipe directs, dry ingredients could also be sifted directly over bowl of wet ingredients and then stirred until combined. I'm just a creature of habit.

Pour batter into the buttered springform pan or buttered and lined cake pan you prepared earlier. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cake has become golden brown in color and a knife inserted into center of cake pulls out clean. Allow cake to rest in pan for 10 minutes. To loosen cake, run a knife between the cake and pan, around the circumference. Stay closer to the pan with the knife as not to cut the outer crust of cake. If using springform pan, simply unclasp the hooks.




Prepare your ingredients













Stir wet ingredients until combined. Next, add your sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined




















Sift cake with powdered sugar













They are beautiful














But strawberries are my kryptonite

Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

After such an exhausting week, of which I'll spare you the boring details, I spent this past weekend completely burnt-out and recovering. I slept right through a good portion of the "Bewitched" marathon on TV Land and couldn't bring myself to lace up my cross-trainers and workout. I knew I needed a pick-me-up to start off the new week with some gusto. I thought it a perfect time to bake that chocolate chip coffee cake I was craving. Is it odd to have such a specific craving? Anyhoo, I gathered all the ingredients and proceeded to bake. An hour later I removed a vision of chocolaty goodness from the oven and left it to cool. Twenty minutes later I returned only to discover the entire center had collapsed. I started to panic a little when it dawned on me, I should have listened to my instincts and let it bake longer. I had two options at that point 1.) Toss the cake and call it a loss, Or 2.) Put the cake back in the oven and hope for the best. The eternal hopetimist, I put the cake back in the oven and let it bake for an additional forty-five minutes. As both the oven and cake had cooled I knew it would need the extra time. To my great delight, not only did the cake bake to completion, but the collapsed center rose back to her former glory. In an event that could only be described as Divine Intervention, the cake was moist, perfect and delicious in every way. And just the pick-me-up I needed.


Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake
Recipe courtesy Smitten Kitchen

1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In stand mixer or a large bowl with hand mixer, add butter and mix until creamy in appearance, add 1 1/2 cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Alternately add sour cream and dry ingredients into butter mixture, beginning and ending with sour cream. In separate bowl, beat eggs whites until stiff, then gently fold into batter. On separate small plate, mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkle the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.