Sweet Testing: Aunt Sassy Cake (Pistachio Cake with Honey Buttercream)

It’s official. My Baked obsession has started to infect other members of my family. Recently, when my mother had to make a bday cake for a friend, she told me that she wanted to make something from Baked and asked if she could borrow my cookbook, Baked Explorations. I, of course, was more than happy to oblige, as long as she saved me a piece! The dessert she ended up choosing was Aunt Sassy Cake and I’m so glad that she did because I’ve been wanting to try it every since I got the cookbook! I’m a huge pistachio fan, so anything with this particular nut is right up my alley. The cake itself was light and buttery and reminded me of the cakes my mom used to make when I was little. It has a very homey quality that I love. Oh, and when I say it’s light, I mean that in the sense that it’s not a rich chocolate cake, not light in terms of calories. I mean, it’s a three-layer cake. There is no such thing as a calorie-light three-layer cake! And if you happen to see one, I wouldn’t recommend eating it! Better to eat a small piece of this cake, than a large piece of a factory made “lite” one.

You can find the complete recipe for the Aunt Sassy Cake after the jump.

The Mixing Bowl: Honey Joys by The Bunny Theory

This week’s recipe is by talented Australian artist, Carmen Hui (The Bunny Theory) whose Web site Forgotten Fancies I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a few weeks ago. Carmen's site focuses on chronically the various "stuff" in her life through illustration. She attempts to attach a level of meaning to each object and describes any significance it may (or may not) have had on her life. It's a really interesting and creative take on excess and the idea of putting a value on "things." It definitely makes you think about all the crap that you own. Maybe even making you think twice before you add something new to your collection! Hmmm . . . what am I going to think of these bright yellow flats in ten years?



For her Mixing Bowl contribution, Carmen has send us a recipe for Honey Joys, which are made almost entirely out of Corn Flakes! You know how I love a recipe with nontraditional ingredients and this one sounds really interesting! Also, it's super simple and not labor intensive, at all! I hope you'll get a chance to try the recipe! Let me know what you think! To check out Carmen's Web site, click here. Thanks, Carmen!

Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Honey Frosting

OMG! These are the best cupcakes ever! (Sorry, I had to write that for BH.) Seriously, though. I loved these cupcakes and I don't always love things that I make. I'm a huge fan of warm flavors like pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, so it's not really surprising that I liked these. Most people would categorize chai and cinnamon as autumn/winter flavors, but I like eating them all year round! If you do to, definitely put these cupcakes on your baking list!

For recipe,

Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Honey Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Yields: an 8-inch triple-layer cake (serves 12 - 16) OR use cupcake pans instead

Original recipe from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes via Une-Deux-Senses


For the cupcakes:

1 1/3 cup milk
6 chai tea bags (I used Good Earth Tea, Sweet & Spicy - Erin)
4 whole eggs
2 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup cake flour
2 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature



For the frosting:

2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tbsn.), room temperature
6 tbsn. honey
1/4 tsp. cinnamon


1. Preheat to 350 F. Line with cupcake liners, set aside.

2. In saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tea bags. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the bags and squeeze out the remaining milk. Let the milk cool completely.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, vanilla and 1/3 cup of the chai milk.

4. In the bowl of a mixer sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Beat on low for about 30 seconds, then add the butter and remaining chai milk.

5. Mix on medium low speed until light and fluffy.

6. Next, add the egg mixture in three additions, making sure to scrape the bowl well after each.

7. Divide the batter among the cupcake tins, about 2/3 full, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

8. For the frosting, add the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Place over a pot of simmering water and whisk until egg whites are warm and sugar is melted.

9. Place the bowl back into the machine and beat until soft peaks form.

10. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time until well incorporated. Let mix on medium-high for another 6 - 8 minutes until smooth and creamy.

11. Add the honey and cinnamon until well combined. Frost and enjoy!

Chocolate Goldfish?

Goldfish always remind me of my sister. When she was little, she was addicted to them, much like a crack addict it addicted to, well, crack. So, I immediately thought of her when I saw that Pepperidge Farm has recently introduced three new Goldfish flavors: chocolate, honey, and cinnamon! As far as I know this is the first time that goldfish have swum into the sweet pond (sorry, I couldn't resist!), but I guess now that they've conquered the savory, they've moved on to the sweet! I'm really interested to see how chocolate translates when moved to the hollow, crackerlike fish. Has anyone tried these?? Click here to see all the Goldfish flavors.

Ice Cream Sandwich Makers Ride Their Bikes, Too

I know that the holiday season is now upon us and the last thing you're probably thinking about in the dead of winter, while you're freezing your bum off, is ice cream, but I'm so excited about Ruby Jewel's ice cream sandwiches that I couldn't wait until spring to write about them! Not only am I impressed by their mouth-watering flavors like cinnamon chocolate with espresso, lemon with honey lavender, and, the seasonal treat, ginger cookie with pumpkin, but also with company's environmental philosophy. Lisa Herlinger, Ruby Jewel's founder, started selling her sandwiches at the Portland Farmer's Market, and has continued to support her community as the company has grown. The sandwiches are made from fresh, local, and natural ingredients, even when it's not cost effective, and, if you don't believe them, they even list their vendors on their Web site. In addition, they make every effort to limit waste, and actually reward their employees for riding their bikes to work!

If you live on the west side of the country, you can click here to find a store near you. The rest of the country can order online via their Web site. If you're torn between which flavor to order, Ruby Jewel has a variety-pack option, so you can sample each and every one!