Devil's Food White-Out Cake w/ Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

I've been wanting to make this cake since the day I bought Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. Quite honestly, it's the main reason that I bought the cookbook in the first place! So, when my sister's bday came around this year, I sent this cake, along with a few others, as possible choices for her cake. As you've probably already guessed by now, she picked this one! She did have one condition, though. Do not use the marshmallow frosting because, in the words of my sister, marshmallow is kind of yucky.

Luckily, Dorie states right in the recipe that you can use any sort of thick frosting for this cake, so, at my sister's suggestion, we went with a Bailey's frosting, instead. Well, actually my mom went with the Bailey's frosting, as she was the one who actually made the cake. I was, well, let's just say that I was not in a baking mood at the time. It all turned out well, though, because this cake was awesome! Sooo good! For some strange reason, my mom's cake was not nearly as high as Dorie's. Maybe the frosting wasn't as thick or sturdy. Regardless, it was mighty tasty! It's booze and chocolate! What's not to love? Btw, this doesn't taste like liquor, at all, but you can always add more Bailey's, if that's what you're into. :-)

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

International Edible Book Festival

I was so thrilled to hear from artist Béatrice Coron about her wonderful edible book Hard Boiled Thriller: Tales of a Tough Cookie and a Smart Cookie, which she created for The International Edible Book Festival. Béatrice and Judith A. Hoffberg created the festival in 1999 and each and every year, on April 1st, people around the world show-off their own versions of edible books. Anyone can participate and the guidelines for what constitutes a book are very flexible. Click here for more info on the festival and here for more of Beatrice's edible books. Thanks, Béatrice!

Working in the cutout method, Béatrice Coron creates glorious images that have appeared on books covers, in subway stations, and on street corners, as well as having been included in the museum collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Getty, and the Bibliotheque Nationale of France. It really is amazing work. You can find other, nonedible examples of Béatrice's amazing art by visiting her Web site. You can also find some examples after the jump.

Sugar Bliss Cupcakes

I'm pretty taken with the frosting on these cupcakes by Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique in Chicago. Cupcakes have been everywhere for the past decade, so it's nice to see a new design option for this classic sweet.



Sugar Bliss offers more than 20 varities of cupcakes, with flavors ranging from cinnamon carrot to orange creamsicle and everything in between. They also carry breakfast cupcakes like apple cinnamon and berry berry. In addition, if you're jonzing for a sugar rush, you can also order up a frosting shot, for those who are so inclined. Personally, I prefer my frosting on cake, but I know people who can't resisit a shot of frosting in the middle of the day! Click here to visit their Web site and to order online.

Eating Animals, The Book

Let me preface this discussion by saying that, yes, it is true. I am a vegetarian. But I'm not the kind of vegetarian that forces my beliefs down the throats of friends, family, or any random passer by that happens to cross my path. I don't appreciate it when people tell me that what I believe is wrong, so I try not to treat other people with the same disrespect. That said, today, while I was engaged in a completely tedious and boring work activity, I passed the time by listening to various audio clips of writer Jonathan Safran Foer discussing his book Eating Animals. The more I listened, the more I realized something: I need to do more, personally, to make sure that what I'm eating is coming from a healthy and clean source, not a place that abuses animals or pollutes the earth, not one that makes me, or others, ill.

To some, that may seem like an obvious statement to make and, no, it wasn't a complete epiphany for me, either. It's not as though JSF was telling me anything that I hadn't heard, and thought about, before. As a person that is already conscious about what I eat, a person who already reads ingredient lists, and is concerned with animal welfare, his words didn't shock me, but they did serve as a reminder, a reminder to not be so lazy. As consumers, we come to rely on packaging and labels, which often, don't mean anything at all. Free Range, Cage Free, Organic, these words don't necessarily mean what we think they do. We have to take it upon ourselves to find out where our food is coming from.

I know that this is a dessert blog, so at first I wasn't sure if this would even be relevant, but then I realized that the major components of baking, ingredients such as eggs, butter, milk, are also a large part of factory farming. I'm not telling you what to do or how to eat, but I think it's important information, even if you eat meat, to know where that meat is coming from, how the animal was raised and treated and processed. Even small changes, even minor adjustments, in the way we eat food, in the way we think about it, can make a big difference. Just something to consider.

Inspiration Board: Kiss

Anyone who reads this site religiously or anyone who knows me personally, knows that I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day. It's not because I'm not romantic or sentimental. I just think it's silly, the way some people make such a big deal about it. Don't even get me started on Sweetest Day! Just writing the words "Sweetest Day" makes me angry! :-) That said, even I cannot resist the perfect Valentine card or the perfect Valentine cookie, so when my brother sent me this picture of the Kiss cookies that his friend made for her man on Valentine's Day, I immediately went, awwww. They are just sooo awesome! Make them for your man friend today or tomorrow or some other random day. Not because it's Valentine's Day, but just because you love him. :-) Check out more inspiring Kiss desserts below.

Kiss Cupcakes by Clever Cupcakes


Kiss Cake, from Kiss Online

Edible Art: Ticings

What am I going completely gaga over at this very moment? These adorable cake decorations from Ticings! Boring old cakes, cookies, and cupcakes are completely transformed into something fun and interesting simply by adding one of these pieces of edible icing. It's such a great way to turn everyday treats into something unique. I'm already thinking about which one I want to try first! Oh, and they're totally gluten free and kosher! Click here to check out all the designs online.

Chocolate and Zucchini Cake

I know what some of you may be thinking. Chocolate and zucchini? Yuck! But trust me, this cake tastes nothing like zucchini! I'm not a big zucchini fan, so I was a little concerned about the whole zucchini aspect of this thing, too, especially when the recipe said to chop the zucchini into small pieces, instead of grating it. I was really worried that people would be put off by all those little bits of zucchini in their cake, but it wasn't even noticeable . . . at all! It was a really great tasting cake and I loved the hard chocolate shell on top. Oh, and did I mention that it's really easy to make? Not to mention really easy to eat! I hope you think so, too!

Recipe after the jump.

Chocolate Chips

Generally speaking, I'm not much of a chip eater. Chips have gotten more appetizing over the years, but I don't really like greasy foods, so classic potato chips just really aren't my thing. Don't get me wrong; I'll eat them, but they're not on my list of food obsessions. I'll have to admit, though, that when I saw these Food Should Taste Good chips at Whole Foods I was intrigued enough to stop and browse the flavors. Sweet potato, lime, olive, potato and chive, chocolate…chocolate?? Chocolate tortilla chips?? Oh, my gosh!! Once again, the possibility of discovering a sweet and salty masterpiece took hold of me.

Did the chips live up to my taste buds' expectations? Yes and no. The chocolate flavor is subtle. The chips are infused with chocolate and the flavor sort of creeps up on you after you've masticated the chip. The general response was hmmmm…interesting, but then you can't stop eating them! They're really tasty chips, but if you're expecting a tortilla chip covered in chocolate, that's not what you're going to get. So, no, these chips are not going to the top of my sweet and salty list, but I liked them so much that I bought some of there other chips (sweet potato, lime, multigrain) and I am now officially hooked! Next on my list? The cinnamon flavor! Oh, did I mention that they're gluten free and vegan?? Click here for more info and to shop online.

Wear Your Dress and Eat It, Too

Yes, your eyes to not deceive you that is a wedding dress made out of cake (and some pretty cool looking cake, at that)! Artist Lukka Sigurdardottir is the fabulous lady responsible for creating this extraordinary wedding cake dress and, personally, I was blown away when I saw it this afternoon. Such a playful take on tradition, like something out of children's story or a surrealistic painting, which are often not all that different! Oh, wait, I just remembered what this reminds me of! The Tom Petty video for Don't Come Around Here No More! Similar idea, but not as scary. :-) For more info, check out the Web site Gather and Nest.

Godiva, Tokyo

When I first caught a glimpse of this Godiva store in Tokyo, I was completely awestruck. In this incredible chocolate shop, designed by the Japanese interior design firm, Wonderwall, chocolate covers the walls and drips from melting ceilings, making it like no other Godiva store that I've seen before. It's whimsical and funny and creepy all at the same time! Not bad creepy, but, you know, a sort of Hansel and Gretel creepy, in that you want to eat the walls, but you feel like they might attack you at some point! :-) To learn more about this strange and wonderful store, click here.

Brownies with Salted Caramel Chocolate Mousse

Another take on my beloved salted caramel, but this time it's gluten free! The trickiest part is the caramel, which is easy to make and easy to screw up, all at the same time. Everyone has there own way of making caramel, but I've found it's best to take it off the burner as soon as it turns amber...and I mean immediately! It's not difficult, but you do have to time it right or it's a disaster! Luckily, there aren't that many ingredients involved, so, if if turns into a big candy ball, you can just try again.

Recipe after the jump.

Choccywoccydoodah

I can't stop looking at these seriously decadent designs from British chocolatier Choccywoccydoodah. I was just thinking that these desserts look like something straight out of a Tim Burton movie, and then I discovered that Choccywoccydoodah actually did a lot of the chocolate work in Burton's remake of Willy Wonka! They also crafted delicious treats for one of the Harry Potter movies as well. Makes total sense. Their work conjures up such images of fun and fantasy that would work perfectly in those movies. Even their name makes you smile! Click here to view more of their work and here to order online.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

This post will be short and sweet because I've already written so many posts about the Baked cookbook! I'm a HUGE pumpkin fan, so it's not that surprising that I would like this one, although I did make pumpkin bread last year, using a nonBaked recipe, and I was really disappointed. This, on the other hand, was delicious! Yum from the first bite!

More From Baked: Flourless Chocolate Cake, Whoopie Pies, Sugar Cookies, Sweet and Salty Cake, Lemon Drop Cake, Coconut Snowball Cupcakes, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Recipe after the jump.

Inspiration Board: Steampunk

(Image above: Cake by Mike's Amazing Cakes, photo by celustig)

What the heck is steampunk??? That was a question I was asking myself recently after stumbling across this word, a word that I had never seen before, twice in one day! The first time I came across it was after a friend of mine posted a steampunk-related link on Facebook and then, later that same day, it showed up again, on a pair of steampunk cuff links on Etsy. What the heck is this steampunk business??? I quickly sent an e-mail to my friend, the Facebook poster, for an explanation. As it turned out, I've been a steampunk fan for years . . . I just didn't know it!

For those of you who, like me, require a crash course in steampunk, here ya go. Steampunk is, as far as I can tell, a sort of a Victorian, fantasy, sci-fi hybrid. Just picture any film that has one foot in the future, and the other in the past. Think Time Bandits or City of Lost Children. I think the whole genre is pretty cool and, as I usually do whenever I learn something new, I started getting super excited about it! Of course, I immediately started thinking about writing a post about steampunk desserts! I was a bit disappointed with the lack of range amongst the steampunk sweets out there. As of right now, the inspiration is mostly about gears, but I still think it's an fun idea, nonetheless!

Steampunk cookies and bourbon bread pudding with bourbon glaze from Jenny Bannock

Cake by Mike's Amazing Cakes, photo by Libby Bulloff


Cake topper by The Builder's Studio ($139)

The Mixing Bowl: Holiday Fudge by yellowlion

Nothing says happy holidays like fudge! Homemade fudge was a family tradition when I was a kid, so I was so pleased when Sarah at yellowlion sent over this delicious (and easy!) recipe for marshmallow/walnut/chocolate chip fudge! It's the perfect holiday treat and, as Sarah told me, a must for any chocolate lover!

Based in Chicago, Sarah creates beautiful screen prints that are inspired by her love of nature and, of all things, the patterns of Rorschach tests! Personally, I've always been fascinated with the look of the Rorschach inkblots. There's something about their surreal, dreamlike quality that I can't resist, so I love how Sarah takes that concept and kicks it up a notch with gorgeous colors and interesting designs.

I hope you all enjoy your holidays! Click here for more information on Sarah's work and to shop online! Thanks, Sarah! More fudge and prints after the jump.

Sweet Testing: Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chunks

I don't know what it is, but sometimes I enjoy the things I bake more the next day. Maybe I spend so much time in the kitchen that by the time the cake/cookies/whatever comes out of the oven, I'm pretty much sick of them. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself and the food that I'm bound to be disappointed once I finally get around to taking a bite. Maybe, sometimes, foods just need to rest a bit in order for the flavors to really settle in. You know, like how soup is better if you make it the night before. Anyway, these cookies were definitely a better the next day kind of thing for me.

I made these classic goodies for a party and almost didn't bring them because I thought they were so boring, but the next day and the day after that . . . and the day after that, I couldn't stop shoving them in my mouth! I'd plan on eating one and end up chomping down five, one after another! This recipe made A LOT more cookies then I expected, so I brought the leftovers to work and they were quickly gobbled up. People actually came back for more, so they must have been fairly good, right? I know. This whole post is not exactly ending up as some huge ringing endorsement, but they're easy to make and they're tasty.

After writing this post, I came across Carolyn's review of these cookies on Food Gal and quickly realized that my big mistake was using chocolate chips instead of chopping the chocolate myself. I usually follow instructions, but I was short on time and I didn't think that it would make a huge difference. Apparently, the chopped chocolate transforms an ordinary cookie into something more like a peanut butter cup! So, there you go! I'm sorry Baked for not listening to you! It won't happen again! :-)

Recipe after the jump.

Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

My sister made these Martha Stewart cookies recently and I immediately snapped some pics because I knew that I wanted to share the recipe! So yummy!

You can find the recipe and a video right here on Martha's site. I've also posted the recipe after the jump.

Cupcakes on Pitt

Wow! These are impressive cupcakes! They're actually award-winning cupcakes and I can understand why! Their lemon meringue cupcake (a vanilla cupcake with fresh lemon curd inside and garnished with a soft torched Italian meringue) took home a gold medal at Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and I can see why. It's almost too intimidating to eat . . . almost! The vanilla, strawberry, peppermint, chocolate, and carrot varieties walked away with silver medals, so anything you get at Cupcakes on Pitt will probably be pretty tasty. They even have giant cupcakes (20cm in diameter, height 22 to 25cm) for when you're really really hungry.

Cupcakes on Pitt don't take online orders at the moment, so if you don't live nearby you'll just have to settle for looking at the pictures. If you live in Australia, click here for locations.