Dessert Blast from The Past: Confetti Cake

This used to be my favorite cake when I was a kid. Yum! Unfortunately, I won't eat the Pillsbury version because, like most boxed desserts, it's filled with lots and lots of bad stuff. I really wanted to find a recipe for this cake, so I could make it with real live ingredients, but I kept running into recipes that required a boxed mix. At first, I was thinking that I could just make a yellow or white cake and add sprinkles, but I quickly realized that I couldn't use any old cake. It had to be traditional birthday cake, a moist, dense cake with just the right amount of sweetness. After spending way too much time searching the net for recipes, I think I found just the right cake! It's called The Birthday Cake and it's supposedly really yummy! I can't wait to try this one! It's so sweet! How can you not love it?

The Birthday Cake can be found on the menu of Restaurant Eve in Virginia or you can click here for the complete recipe via The Washington Post. Just don't forget to add the sprinkles (1/4 cup)!


Oh, and if you're short on time, Naturally Nora offers a boxed version, with ingredients that are more natural than those in traditional cake mixes (i.e. no trans fats or artificial preservatives).

To Dry For: Tea Towels

I love these fun tea towels from To Dry For! Based in Oxford, England, Sally and Dave created this site as a way to bring designers and tea towels together and to make the buying of such towels easy for the tea towel loving public. Each towel was created by a specific designer and the product description contains a link to that designer's Web site, making it easy to check out more of their work. Personally, I love the "Right On" design by Stuart Kolakovic, but the Mr. T towel is pretty hard to resist! Check out the full collection right here.

Black Pearl Cake (Wasabi & Ginger)

During my recent trip into the wonderful world of Wasabi ice cream, I stumbled upon this recipe for chocolate cake with ginger, wasabi, and black sesame! I'm a sucker for desserts with unusual flavors, so this cake, which was created by Katrina Markoff, CEO of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, is right up my alley. I can't wait to try it! Click here for the recipe, which originally appeared in Bon Appetit.

[top photo: Noel Barnhurst/Bon Appetit; bottom photo: catsun)

High Fashion Dessert - Erin Fetherston

I've been sitting her thinking about how I'm dying to see the new movie (500) Days of Summer, staring the super awesome Zooey Deschanel, so I thought that I'd post this cute picture of Zooey pushing an ice cream cart from Erin Fetherston's Fall/Winter 08/09 collection. Erin's work has always sort of reminded me of cake, what with the tiers and the ruffles and all, so I thought this was a good opportunity to post some of her work! Have a great weekend everybody!

Wasabi Ice Cream and Other Asian Ice Cream Diversions

Recently, at a housewarming party that I attended, a discussion about wacky ice cream flavors arose. I quickly mentioned the Curry ice cream from Vosges, while someone else told the tale of eating wasabi ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Wasabi ice cream? At Cold Stone? I couldn't find any mention of it on Cold Stone's Web site, although I did find evidence of it's existence at one time, but it did start me wondering . . . is Wasabi ice cream available elsewhere?? I thought I'd do some Web surfing to find out!

Apparently, Wasabi ice cream is quite common in Japan, where, according to this Web site, you can also buy ice creams flavored with lots of yummy ingrdients, like chicken wings, eel, and octopus! The "yummy" part was sarcasm, in case you didn't catch that. I also discovered photographic evidence for Japanese snake, garlic, and salt ice cream. (I'd pass on the snake, but the garlic and salt flavors might actually be pretty good!)

Next stop on my Wasabi hunt was the Web site for il Laboratorio del Gelato in New York. They do indeed carry Wasabi gelato, along with LOTS of other new and unexpected flavors like Guinness and cheddar cheese. You can also find curry and wasabi flavors at the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, which is in NY as well.

For those of you who prefer making things yourself, check out Anthony Bombaci's recipe for wasabi ice cream, right here.

I'll stop at this point, but I found lots of other interesting asian ice cream treats during my search! More to come . . . soon!

[wasabi ice cream image: Katherine Moon; wasabi sign: Andrew Martin; salt ice cream: piki hiki biki; snake ice cream: kaige]

Superman Ice Cream Fans Unite!

I'm loving this video by Quinn Strassel (The Mitten) about Superman ice cream. Inspired by the Serious Eats post on this colorful treat, Quinn took to the streets to try to find out more about this mysterious flavor. Apparently, Superman ice cream is only a Michigan thing or, at the most, a Midwest thing. Who knew?? Click here for the full post.

photo by Laura Roberts

The Mixing Bowl: Strawberry and Pear Croustade by Hang Tight Studio

I am so sooo excited to present this guest post from Heather Dutton of Hang Tight Studio. I have been a fan of Heather's work for many years now and I'm thrilled that she agreed to put together this cooking project for Dessert Girl! It's so inspiring to see people make food that they love and Heather's post for strawberry and pear croustade with vanilla bean glaze does not disappoint!


Heather, who runs a freelance textile and surface design business, and has worked with big name companies like Pottery Barn and Tupperware, creates wonderful and incredibly cute designs! I'm particularly fond of her playful animal prints, like the ones below, but she also has a lot of gorgeous floral and geometric patterns as well. I love her work so much that I have been known to use her designs as desktop wallpaper and, whenever I do, I always get tons of compliments from passersby!



I hope you’ll enjoy Heather’s recipe as much as I did. It looks like the perfect summer treat, for the eyes and the belly! (To see the recipe in a readable, large-print format, just click on each image.)

Thanks Heather!

To see more of Heather’s work click here to visit her Web site and, to shop online, visit her brand new Etsy site, right here. While you're there, check out the paint chip etchings, which combine both cuteness and recycling! Yay!

(p.s. This post officially starts my new guest baker series, which I'm calling The Mixing Bowl, for now. Or is that title too cheesy? Stay tuned for more mystery pastry chefs in the future!)

Dessert in the Bath

I'm a big fan of anything you use in the shower, especially soap and bubble bath, so I was excited to see that sweets shop Dylan's Candy Bar has extended their product line to bath products. I especially like the look of their shower gel line, which comes in cute retro-inspired soda bottles. All products are free of parabens and synthetic preservatives, among other things, so woo hoo, no potential cancer risk! Well, until some future date when it's discovered that "safe ingredients" kill you as well. Click here to view the complete, paraben-free, collection.

While visiting Dylan's Web site, I also stumbled upon these great candy building blocks. I'm not sure how they taste, but they look like Legos, so I'd have to give 'em a try!

Momofuku Milk Bar: My Latest Bakery Obsession

It started innocently enough, a coworker of mine recently had dinner at Momofuku Ko in NYC and sent me the link to their site. Of course, one of the first things I did was to click on the site for their bakery and what did I see?? Arnold Palmer cake! Cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate chip cookies!! Crack pie!!! Crack pie??

I want to go there.

I quickly searched Google, desperate for a recipe for Arnold Palmer cake (iced tea jelly, lemon mascarpone cream, almond tea crunch), but came up with nothing. Has no one tried to copy this yet?? Happily, my crack pie search yielded better results, leading me to a demonstration from Martha Stewart's show, along with recipes for Momofuku's cereal milk and blueberry-and-cream cookies!! Woo hoo!

I am now officially obsessed. I wish more bakeries thought this creatively! I haven't made the crack pie yet, but it's on top of my baking list. I also can't wait until the day that I actually get to step foot inside the Milk Bar, although there are so many choices that in the process of making a decision, I may completely freak out. Oh, and don't tell me their desserts suck or I'll punch you in the arm! Okay, if it sucks, I would like to hear your opinion, but I'll still be mentally punching you in the arm. :-)

To watch Martha's visit to the Momofuku Milk Bar, click here. (The link takes you to the beginning of the show, so you'll have to scroll over to the video titled Momofuku Milk Bar.)

Did I mention the Lucky Charms soft serve???

(Arnold Palmer cake photo by Kathy Chan.)

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!

The Umbrellas of Santa barbara

I know what you're probably thinking, Erin, what the heck do umbrellas have to do with desserts?? I was thinking the same thing myself, wondering if there was anyway I could fit these awesome patio umbrellas by Santa Barbara Designs into the whole dessert theme. And then it hit me: I already feature various kitchenware, which is used in dessert making, and a patio is similar to a kitchen because you eat out there and there's a good chance you'd be eating ice cream or birthday cake or some other dessert and . . . and . . . well, that's the end of the argument, but I've completely convinced myself that it works with a dessert-themed Web site! Yeah, totally. Anyway, these umbrellas also sort of remind me of desserts. They're all frilly and girly and brightly-colored, just like cake! They would be perfect outside a bakery or a candy store . . . or in my backyard! Patio furniture is usually so dull and ugly, I was excited to see that there are some fun options out there that kick it up a notch! Click here to see the entire collection.

Animal Cutters

I was really disappointed that I didn't know about Williams Sonoma's Circus Cookie Cutters until after the set was discontinued, so I was really happy to see that they've introduced these Garden Creatures Pancake Molds! So fun! Pancakes are definitely my favorite syrup friendly breakfast treat, winning easily over waffles and French toast, so these are right up my alley! You can find a Williams Sonoma near you or order online by clicking here.

Also, on the cute cookie cutter front, Ikea has introduced these adorable pastry cutters. For $4, you get six cutters, including one of a hedgehog! Order online here or find a store near you by clicking here.

Cakes I Want to Date: Ktinka's Chocolate Cake

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like you're never going to get over a person and you just know that when your seventy you'll still be adoring/missing them just as much as you do right now and you're so sad and frustrated that you can't help wishing that the memory erasing machine from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind really existed because the whole situation is just sooooo ridiculous??? Well, then this is the cake for you!

I have a thing for nearly anything animal related (yes, it's a sickness), so it's not surprising that I instantly fell head or heels in love with this cake!!! I love the look of stencils on baked goods and this is one of the best yet! So easy and yet so cute! Oh, yeah, and the cake's creator, Katinka, says that the cake is so yummy that it's almost as good as sex, so bonus! Yummy and darling and a sex substitute all at the same time. No wonder I'm in love. If only men could be more like cake. The world would be a much sunnier place!

Click here for the complete recipe and here to view Ktinka's Web site.

The Dessert Truck

I wrote this post ages ago and kept forgetting to post it. Then, last week, I saw this article on the Wall Street Journal online, and decided that I better post this before the truck trend completely fizzles out. So, without further ado, here is the post. Better late then never.

Yes, it's true. I'm obsessed with the Dessert Truck. I know several other versions of these sugar carrying vehicles have popped up in NYC and other large cities lately, but I think the appropriately named Dessert Truck is my favorite. Maybe it's because one of the people behind the Dessert Truck is a former pastry sous chef at Le Cirque, and that sounds fancy or maybe it's because the desserts they offer aren't typical truck fare (i.e. slow-baked apples and cinnamon [see pic above] and goat cheese cake). But, really, when you get right down to it, I think it has a lot to do with my childhood love of ice cream trucks. How could I resist?

If you too would like to relive your latent childhood fantasies involving magic trucks jam packed with yumminess, click here to find out where and when the Dessert Truck will make it's next stop. Or, if simpler snacks are more your thing, check out the Treats Truck, right here. (Food pics by Eugenio Garcia-Palacios)

Sweet Dreams are Made of Cupcakes

Sweet Dreams by Kirsten Lepore. This stop-motion story about a cupcake construction worker made me smile. How can you not smile at a film where the trees are made out of ice cream cones! I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, though, or the love scene, but, as the Eurythmics say, who am I to disagree?

BabyCakes: Vegan, Gluten Free, and Yummy!

I'm a big defender of vegan baking. Even though I'm not actually vegan, I've eaten my fair share of vegan baked goods during my lifetime, and I think they get a bad rap!! People hear vegan and dessert in the same sentence and instantly think yuck! That's why I'm super excited that that successful vegan bakery BabyCakes has a new cookbook out! Not only have they managed to convince dairy lovers to eat vegan cupcakes, but they managed to do it while keeping their bakery wheat free, casein free, refined-sugar free, gluten free, soy free, organic, AND kosher!! These baked goods are virtually guilt free! But, because of all the substitutions necessary to make these particular desserts, you may be a little perplexed once you read the ingredient lists. Garbanzo bean flour, coconut flour, and xanthan gum, among other things, pop up frequently in this cookbook, but fear not, most ingredients are available at your local health food store or at Whole Foods.

So, I know what you're thinking, with all those weird ingredients, how do these desserts taste?? Well, my sister recently made the chocolate chip cookie sandwiches (see pic above), and, let me tell you, they were really good! They definitely had a unique flavor. Not bad, just unique, and the coconut flour did give them a very slight coconut taste, so if you hate coconut, be forewarned. All in all, I'm anxious to try something else from the cookbook. It's like every recipe is a little baking adventure!

A video on how to make the sandwiches, along with the recipe, can be found at Martha Stewart's Web site, right here.

If you live in New York and want to try some vegan yumminess (you know who you are!) head on over to BabyCakes in NYC. A Los Angeles location will be opening soon. If you'd like to order online, click here.

Sweet Testing: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

I'm not a fan of pecan pie. It's not really pecan pie's fault, though. I used to enjoy it, but once, when I was fourteen, I ate some pecan pie and then promptly came down with the flu. I have hence forth hated it. It's pretty much a guilty by association thing. The mere thought of it makes me nauseous! Don't you hate when that happens?? Anyway, enough about my stomach ailments. The point is, I don't like pecan pie or bourbon, for that matter, but my sister insisted that this pie is awesome, so I made it, and let me tell you . . . it is AWESOME!! It doesn't really taste like pecan pie. It's more like a fat, warm, chocolate chip cookie. Yum! I wish I had taken a picture after it was cut because that's where all the yumminess resides, but I was so distracted by eating it, that I forgot! Oh, well, next time!

As far as the baking process is concerned, this is one of the easier recipes from the Baked cookbook. The pie crust came out perfectly, but if you want to opt for a store-bought crust, you could make this really quickly. Oh, and you can't taste the bourbon, which I liked, but if like your desserts a little more boozy, you can always add more.

More From Baked: Whoopie Pies, Sugar Cookies, Sweet and Salty Cake, Lemon Drop Cake, Coconut Snowball Cupcakes

You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Suck on This, Daniel Craig

I thought of so many naughty titles for this post: A Mouthful of Daniel Craig, Sucking on Daniel Craig. The possibilities are endless. Anyway, yes, Daniel Craig fans, your dreams have come true. Now you can actually get Mr. Craig . . . in popsicle form. Some of you may have seen this already on foodgawker, but I just had to post a pic. It's hilarious and erotic, and possibly delicious, all at the same time. How many desserts can be described that way?? And don't say a boob cake because those are neither funny nor erotic, unless you're twelve. :-) The 007 Del Monte Superfruit Smoothies come in blueberry, pomegranate and cranberry flavors and will only be available in the UK during National Ice Cream Week, which started June 1st and ends on Sunday. Yes, that's right, you can only get your D. Craig lollies, as the Brits call them, this week and only in the UK. I wish I was there right now, so I could taste one and also so I could say the word "lolly." Such a fun word. Click here for more info via the Telegraph.

Flavored Salt

I love when people take something traditional and turn it on it's head (well, except for my dislike of altering classic candy that I talked about in an earlier post), so I'm loving all these flavored salts from Barhyte. What a tasty way to jazz up, well, just about anything! I love the logo and colors, not to mention the yummy flavors. The chocolate variety is like the perfect sweet and salty paradise combined into one! Click here to check out the flavors and here to shop online.

You can also get some bacon-flavored salt courtesy J&D's. This particular bacon salt is not only kosher, but also vegetarian, so it would the perfect way for vegetarians to incorporate the bacon trend into their desserts! (I still haven't tried the whole bacon dessert thing, but it intrigues me, even though I'm a vegetarian.)

Btw, they also have bacon-flavored lip gloss for those of you out there who are really really into bacon. Click here to find store locations or to order online.