love, marriage, baby carriage

02/13/16

Lemon Whipped Cream Cake

Every year on my husband’s birthday, we have a great tradition. Well, I have a great tradition, I’m not sure how he feels about it. Every year, I ask him what kind of birthday cake he wants (even though I already know), and every year when he requests lemon cake, I tease him. Even though I absolutely adore the refreshing citrus flavors, it’s not birthday cake – who’s with me on this?

I set out to make a new recipe this year, and after mixing and matching a few of my favorite recipes, I came up with this delicious Lemon Whipped Cream Cake. The cake has a pound cake type of feel to it, though it’s not as dense, and the lightness of the whipped cream frosting pairs wonderfully with it. Don’t forget to have a cold glass of milk ready immediately after eating.

While I still assert this is not a birthday cake, I did very much enjoy it, and think it would be great for showers, brunch, afternoon tea, or just because. I mean really, do we need a reason for cake?

01/29/16

Healthy Banana Cake (that doesn’t taste healthy)

I’m always on a quest for healthy alternatives to my favorite tasty treats, but sadly I’m generally disappointed with the outcome because it just tastes healthy. I love healthy foods, but I don’t want my cookies to taste like bark or my pie to taste like almond cardboard. Blah, no thank you. I grew up eating full fat full sugar deliciousness and know what desserts should taste like (thanks, mom!).

So if you’re like me and do not want to sacrifice the taste of yummy desserts but want a healthy alternative, you will love this Healthy Banana Cake. I concocted this recipe after looking at several recipes for a healthy birthday smash cake for my daughter’s first birthday.

After several modifications, I have this cake and frosting perfected. This Healthy Banana Cake is great for kids and anyone avoiding processed sugar, and you can also leave it unfrosted for the most scrumptious banana loaf. You can astound your family and friends by finishing your banana cake with a simple yet impressive rosette frosting technique.

01/21/16

DIY First Birthday Smash Cake Photo Session

Happy first birthday to my darling baby girl! I can’t help but think this birthday is exponentially better than her “birth day” last year because this one started with cake. Kind of hard to argue with that, don’t you think? I knew I wanted to make a smash cake and take pictures myself, so that’s exactly what I did. I will soon be posting the healthy cake and frosting recipe I concocted, which is not only perfect for babies but is so delicious I will be making it for myself, too. Stay tuned for that.

What you need:

If you’d like to do your own first birthday cake smash photo session at home, here is what you need:

• a white backdrop (sheet, curtain, large roll of paper)
• natural sunlight
• your baby
• iPhone or camera
• birthday cake
• another person to help