A very light and fluffy cinnamon angel food cake is topped with sweet caramelized apples for a stunning holiday dessert!

How is it that we are already a week away from Thanksgiving?? Time is flying by too fast. I need to decide on what sides to bring to our Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws. I try to do some sort of veggie side (NOT green bean casserole) or salad but I am having trouble this year coming up with a refreshing option. Do you have any favorite side dishes? Please share, I need some inspiration.

As far as dessert goes, I always have a number of options. This year, I am bringing this show-stopping cinnamon angel food cake with caramelized apples to the table. Why should pumpkin get all the glory for Thanksgiving?? Apples deserve a prime spot on the dessert table if you ask me.

I also think angel food cake should be an all-year round dessert; not just in the summer. It’s just so easy to whip up and with no fuss or decorating needed, it is the perfect holiday cake to wow your guests with little or no effort. For this cake, I used my favorite light and fluffy angel food cake recipe and infused it with some of fall’s warm spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) and flavors (apples and caramel). Topped with a sweet caramelized apple concoction, this cake is everything an apple dessert should be.

I’m sharing the recipe over on Best Friends for Frosting, one of my favorite lifestyle websites with lots of inspiration for stylish and creative living. Be sure to grab the recipe over there and make this cake this holiday season!

The post Cinnamon Angel Food Cake with Caramelized Apples appeared first on Blahnik Baker.

Happy Monday friends! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. It is really beginning to feel like the holiday season, which means busy busy busy yet joyful, grateful and happy times. We had a busy weekend as well, filled with family celebrations and a lot of catching up at home. We took the little one to see Santa as well and he was just excited to be out. I am not sure it was Santa he was excited out but it was adorable and made the one hour in line wait worth it at the end (ahem… just kidding).

I also got some baking done (duh)! My holiday cookies are packed and ready to ship. I also whipped up this peppermint hot chocolate bundt cake for the hubs to take to a work party. I’ve had this cake on my to-bake list for almost two years now but never got around to it. Everything about this peppermint hot chocolate bundt cake screams winter and makes you want to curl up with a slice by the fireplace, as I did last night.

It’s a very decadent chocolate bundt cake made with hot chocolate mix, milk chocolate and dark cocoa powder and hints of peppermint. The cake is topped with an equally decadent chocolate glaze, peppermint crushed candy and marshmallows. It’s like eating a hot cup of hot chocolate with peppermint. I would not suggest having this with said hot chocolate though (hello chocolate overload) but a cup of coffee or tea would do just fine.

Hope you have a great week! I have lots of holiday recipes coming your way this week. Stay tuned!

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Happy Christmas week and happy first day of Winter! It’s probably the busiest and craziest week of the year but thankfully, it’s one of the warmest. Family gatherings, friendship rekindling and lots of cozy, winter recipes floating around in the air. I find this saying is indeed true ‘the coldest time of the year is also the warmest’ as I wrap presents, plan my Christmas day menu and bake delicious treats like this gingerbread crepe cake.

As you get together with loved ones this year, remember to slow down and enjoy the moments. The moments that will be remembered for years to come.

And if you are a last minute kind of girl like me, and still looking for a gorgeous dessert to serve your family, try this gingerbread crepe cake. It’s stunning, simple to create and filled with warm spices of the season.

A crepe cake is a great way to turn a brunch favorite into dessert. This gingerbread version uses my basic crepe recipe and adds to it warm spices of ginger, cinnamon and cloves. The crepes are made as you would normally and layered with repeating layers of a caramel cream cheese filling and some more caramel sauce. It’s all wrapped in a rustic naked way with the filling for a simple, yet delicious dessert.

This is not only for this time of the year but will be great all winter long as we cozy up around the fire. So if your holiday menu is already decked out, save this recipe in your arsenal for winter dinner parties and gatherings.

Get the recipe for this gingerbread crepe cake over on the KitchenAid blog, The Kitchenthusiast.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays friends! Wishing you a safe and wonderful time with friends, family and loved ones.

xo,

This post is sponsored by KitchenAid. All opinions are 100% mine as usual. Thank you for supporting the occasional sponsored posts that make it possible for me to continue to create quality content!

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Hello friends! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend. I’m hoping it was filled with lots of family time, food and joy. Ours was exactly that and I am already looking forward to the New Year and why we have a simple champagne pound cake today to ring out the year.

2015 will go down in the books as the BEST year so far. It brought with it lots of heartache but also brought us Baby Elliott, the best present a girl can ask for. He has brought nothing but happiness and love into our family and has taken over our hearts. For that (and many more blessings), I am celebrating what was a great year. Ringing out 2015 and looking forward to 2016 with prayers that it will be an even better, brighter and happier year.

In the holiday spirit (as most people are off this week), I will keep this short and sweet. I made this pound cake over the weekend as I was looking for New Year’s Eve ideas. I believe toasting up the New Year deserves this champagne pound cake recipe that is simple, soft and amazing. If you’ve never tried bubblies (champagne, wine or soda) in your baking, it’s time to. It makes for light and airy cakes that are incredibly moist and crumbly at the same time! Make that a New Year resolution to bake with bubblies in 2016, starting with this pound cake. You can use whatever bubbly you have this week; champagne, sparking wine or juice. The cake will turn out great.

I topped the cake pictured with a sprinkling of powdered sugar but a simple champagne glaze (recipe below) will be a good addition too!

As you ring in the New Year, consider making this cake for your New Year’s Eve party. I will be staying in, tucked under a blanket on the couch enjoying snuggles from my favorite little man and I won’t trade that for anything else. But this cake will be on the coffee table along with some bubbly.

Have a great week and see you in the New Year!!

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What are some things you are looking forward to try this year? I am excited to try a few foodie and fashion trends/hacks I’ve seen buzzing around and never got around to. Mug cakes were one of those and this past week I experimented with this chocolate coconut mug cake.

Last year, mug cakes were all the rage, but I never tried one myself. Mug cakes are made by microwaving a single serving of cake in a mug. They are intended to put those cake cravings to bed in an instant without the hassle of baking and decorating an entire cake. It’s also a great single serving that will not have you going for a second slice which is perfect this time of the year when we are all cutting back.

This chocolate coconut mug cake is as easy as whisking together flour, sugar, coconut milk and cocoa. The recipe uses coconut oil and coconut milk instead of eggs to keep the decadent chocolate cake moist and soft and also makes this guy dairy-free. Have I mentioned to you recently that I think my newborn is lactose-intolerant? I am 97.8% sure he is and I have been on a dairy-free diet for a few months now. I cheat here and there but mainly stay away from dairy to make it easy on his sensitive tummy.

Back to the cake. I love how the cake turned out – very soft and fluffy! For just 60-70 seconds in the microwave, you can have a lovely cake to curl up with at the end of a long day. I topped mine with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut flakes (duh!!).

I hope you can give mug cakes a try if you haven’t. They are easy to make, delicious and I am sure the flavor combinations are endless.

Grab the full recipe for these over on KitchenAid.com where I am sharing it with their readers as well. I used my new KitchenAid® Convection Microwave with High-Speed Cooking that I am crushing over to make these.

So tell me below in the comments: What food trends are you looking forward to try this year?

Disclosure: I received the microwave from KitchenAid for recipe development purposes.

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I am VERY excited about this blood orange mimosa cake. It’s the bomb.com and it is from one of my favorite cookbooks last year, Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories. If you remember this 7UP Pound Cake last fall, then you know that a) i heart Jocelyn’s book and b) that she knows her way around cake, especially pound cakes and c) that the recipes are just amazing for creating new memories with family.

For all these reasons, I decided to dive back into her numerous mouth-watering recipes during the holiday season and whipped up this Blood Orange Mimosa Cake for New Year’s. I brought it to my sister-in-law’s that evening and it was a hit. Not a single piece was left and everyone enjoyed it. Her twist on the brunch favorite brings together bold flavors. Using sweet blood oranges and pink champagne, this cake is a statement cake. The bubbly makes it a celebration cake (and a light and airy cake) but the lovely pink glaze adds a touch of playfulness that would be a Valentine’s Day spectacular.

There’s something about Jocelyn’s recipes that always create fond memories. So if you haven’t grabbed a copy yet of Grandbaby Cakes, the book, please RUN and add this book to your book shelf. Well, it might spend more time on your kitchen counter but that’s okay.

Because I loved it so much, I grabbed an extra copy to give away to you. Jocelyn was kind enough to sign it so ONE lucky reader will win a signed copy of Grandbaby Cakes. To enter for a chance to win this lovely family cookbook, answer the question below in the comments.

“What is your favorite family recipe? And why is it your favorite?”

Disclosure: Affiliate links above.

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(Let me preface by saying, if you are here for the makeup cake directions, please SCROLL to the bottom)

*Reason for preface: I get a lot of comments & emails on my Minion Cake that I talk too much before the cake directions. Yeah, I talk (uhmm write) too much because this is a personal blog. So if you are here for the directions, skip to the bottom.*

Okay where was I? Yes, this makeup cake was the next in my yearly installment of birthday cakes for my husband’s niece. My super awesome now 15-year old favorite girlie. Ever since I was welcomed into their family, she has been my side-kick. Always excited to be in the kitchen with me baking and she loves picking out her birthday cake designs.

Her very first cake from me was just three years ago and it was a crazy fondant cake, full of colors and at the time perfect for her personality and obsession with neon colors (gosh, I am happy that phase is gone. It was blinding). Anyway as she has grown into the beautiful young lady she is today, her taste has evolved as well. We went from the colorful fondant cake, to the epic Minion Cake, to an elegant Kit Kat cake last year and now this Makeup Cake. Can you see the kid is growing up? (tears!!!)

She sent me an inspiration from Pinterest and I modeled this cake after a few that I liked. The cake itself is pretty easy to make. I know working with fondant is daunting for most but it can be very easy if you keep your designs simple and chic. For example, I opted for a simple quilt pattern design instead of complicated trimmings. After my first attempt at the fondant makeup decorations, I decided it would be smart to buy them. I bought them on Etsy where apparently, there are a gazillion shops that make them.

Here’s how to make this cake for the makeup lover in your family. I can see this being a great cake for a shower, birthday party or even graduation!

To start, you will need the following:

• One 8 or 9-inch double layer cake of your choice. (I used this chocolate cake recipe)
• 1 batch of buttercream frosting (I used the caramel frosting from the above chocolate cake recipe)
• 24 ounces Pink Fondant or any color you wish.
• Makeup fondant decorations (you can make these yourself using different colored fondant and/or gum paste or just buy them on Etsy!)
• White Sugar Pearls
• A ruler
• Edible glue
• Paint brush

General Directions (printable version below):

Now that you have everything that you need, let me walk you through the assembly. It’s pretty straight forward so no need to stress.

First, if you are making your own makeup cake toppers, I suggest you do this the day before assembling the cake so they dry out and are firm. As you can see, the amount and color of toppers you need depends on how you want to decorate the cake. I used lipstick, blush, pencil, etc.

Next, assemble your cake. I baked this chocolate cake recipe and made a batch of that caramel frosting. My cake was three layers so it will have some height to it. Frost it roughly.

Freeze the cake briefly so the frosting firms up. Then do another layer of thin frosting around the cake and try to smooth it out. Freeze the cake again as you prepare the fondant.

Next, roll out your fondant into a big circle. I used 24 ounce pack of fondant and I think rolled it into a 12-inch circle. Just make sure the circle is wide enough to cover your cake. You can measure the height of the cake to be exact.

Cover the cake with fondant. Smooth out and cut off excess. You can save some of the fondant to make a band and bow. These are optional of course.

For the outside of the cake, I opted for a simple quilt design. I referred to this video on how to do it with a ruler since I didn’t have any special quilting tools (like THIS or THIS). I suggest you watch the video before starting.

Once you have your quilting done, use edible glue to attach a pink 2-inch band around the bottom of the cake. Add a bow at the bottom as well (the bow was just a 1-inch band of fondant folded criss-crossed. Nothing fancy).

Using edible glue, attach the white sugar pearls in the intersection of each diamond. Do as many or as little as you wish. As you can tell, I added the sugar pearls after finishing the cake as I thought it needed more. And it was indeed a great addition.

That’s it! It was a very easy cake to make, just like the Minion cake, it took a few hours but it was well worth it. She loved it very much and I can’t wait to see what she wants next year for her Sweet 16!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

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(I originally shared this recipe over on Chocolate, Chocolate and More.)

The story behind this German Chocolate Cake.

Last summer, I think around August, my husband’s Uncle Wayne pulled me aside.

Uncle Wayne: I would like to put in my order for my birthday cake.

Me: Uncle Wayne, your birthday is in December.

Uncle Wayne: Yes, I know but want to let you know now that I want a German Chocolate Cake just like my momma used to make. No nuts. I don’t want no stupid nuts in my cake.

Me: I never met your momma so how would I know how to make her cake?

Uncle Wayne: You never disappoint, you will make a great one.

Me: okay, you got it!

Needless to say, I spent months trying to find the perfect german chocolate cake for him and I settled on this one. The recipe is adapted from David Lebovitz, as I found most of the recipes on the internet are based off his. I figured it must be a great one.

If you are a chocolate or coconut lover, this classic cake is for you! To be precise, four layers of moist chocolate cake soaked in rum syrup and filled with sweet coconut pecan custard filling and wrapped beautifully in a chocolate ganache frosting. It pretty much a classic chocolate (and coconut) lover’s dream cake. Now, the one pictured here doesn’t have the traditional pecan in the filling but I put it in the recipe as that is how it should be. My uncle just didn’t roll that way and I can attest that the cake was still delicious without it.

Despite the long instructions, this cake is very EASY to assemble and you will not regret making it for a loved one. The chocolate cake bakes two 9-inch layer cakes that you can slice horizontally for more layers or you can leave as is. The rum syrup adds a great flavor and is used to soak the cake layers…nicely infused into the cake. The filling is a coconut custard, made with unsweetened coconut flakes, eggs and cream. Finally the icing is a rich chocolate ganache, that’s chilled until thickened. I need to make all my chocolate icing like this. So simple and so so rich. Just a wonderful, decadent cake!

Since it was a birthday cake, I didn’t get pictures of the inside for you but you can imagine it is filled with the coconut filling that you see on top of the cake.

My Uncle Wayne loved the cake very much and he said it was close to how his momma used to make it. Moments like these are why I LOVE baking for my family. I hope one day my little boy will ask his future wife to bake him a coconut cake like I used to.

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Happy first day of summer friends! I’m popping in today for a special surprise with this coconut raspberry cake with whipped cream frosting.

It’s a surprise virtual baby shower for my dear friend Ashley from Spoonful of Flavor. Ashley and her husband are expecting their first baby and it’s a girl!! We are all so excited for them and throwing a virtual baby shower to celebrate their little one.

Ashley is a lover of strawberries. She has plenty of epic strawberry recipes on her blog that I love (this and this). So it was a no brainer when hosts of the shower (Julianne and Lindsay) said it was a strawberry themed shower.

Of course I went against the rule and brought raspberries. Whoops. I know Ashley loves coconut as much as I do so this cake was safe to make in her honor.

This coconut raspberry cake starts with one of my favorite coconut cake recipes and builds upon it. With a raspberry filling and a light whipped cream frosting, this cake is fluffy and light in all the right places. Just what we need for summer! If you are looking for a simple summer cake, this is one to try.

Ashley, I wish I could celebrate with you. I am so happy for you and your husband. And I know you are going to be the best parents to your little girl. I can’t wait to meet her soon.

Thank you Julianne and Lindsay for bringing us together for this shower. And be sure to check out all the other tasty food everyone else “brought” to the shower! It all looks so good!

Strawberry Rose Macarons from Beth Cakes
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake with Coconut Whipped Cream from Hip Foodie Mom
Strawberry Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies from Beyond Frosting
Coconut Raspberry Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting from Blahnik Baker
Spice Rubbed Cedar Plank Salmon with Strawberry Salsa from Joyful Healthy East
Strawberry Balsamic Crostini with Whipped Ricotta from Recipe Runner
Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches from Cooking and Beer
Strawberry Layer Cake from Life, Love and Sugar

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The baby is turning one in just one week and I am on the look out for first birthday cakes. His birthday party is going to be bee-themed and I will be making a honey-themed dessert table for guests. But for his birthday cake, I want to make something he will enjoy. Right now, it is strawberries. He would eat a whole cup of strawberry and ask for more. I don’t understand it. But I thought a strawberry cake would be a great idea for his personal cake. Then I saw a Berries and Cookies cake over on BHG and got excited to make this Strawberry Cookie Cake.

Isn’t it lovely? The simple idea of pressing strawberries and cookies against a cake for a fresh look is fun. The cake recipe is a homemade strawberry cake that is soft and moist and tender. I know Elliott will love it because it is full of strawberry flavor. The cake is frosted with a simple whipped vanilla bean frosting and decorated with birthday cake golden oreo cookies. This fun twist can be customized to fit your favorites. Use your favorite cookie, fruits or sprinkles!!! Imagine the possibility

I love how this Strawberry cookie cake turned out and I think it will make for a pretty birthday cake. Be sure to check the cake over on Delish Dish for more. And get the recipe for the strawberry cake here as well.

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Hi guys! I’m BACKKKK!!

After six months of barely being present on the blog, I am done with my hiatus. I missed you guys. I missed baking. And also realizing I missed out on summer too being busy and cooked up in the library. But I still have one month to go in which I intend to get some summer baking done. I will share a few with you but I am sure you guys are already enjoying the best of summer.

While I was away, the baby had his first birthday party (Can I still call him the baby??). It was a bee-themed party and I made him this lemon honey beehive cake. It was the centerpiece on a dessert table which turned out great for being put together in a hurry.

To make the cake, I used this beehive cake pan. It was actually Allie’s idea which made my life so much easier. If you make this lemon honey beehive cake, I suggest you get the pan. Otherwise, you will have to make two round cakes and a ball-shaped half for the top and trim the cake to the hive shape. Complicated right? Yes, get the pan!

Since it was a beehive theme, I made a honey lemon cake. The cake itself is a soft crumbly cake and I frosted it was my favorite whipped butter cream frosting in yellow.  I finished the cake with these Mini Daisy Icing Flowers and these bumblebee icing decorations.

It was extremely easy to pull together and I think it makes for a great buzz-themed cake. And he loved the little sugar bees on the cake. He got distracted by them and didn’t even bother with the whole face-smashing aspect.

Let me know if you try this cake out! I’d love to see how it came together for your birthday party.

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Hi guys! How was your long weekend? I hope relaxing and you are refreshed to start a new season. I have a fun strawberry rainbow cake for you. Before we jump into the Fall season of apples, pumpkin and caramel, I wanted to share this colorful rainbow birthday cake with you. It’s perfect for a girl’s birthday or a baby shower if you have any coming up.

It all came about last month when my girlfriend’s daughter asked for a birthday cake from Aunt Z. For the record, I live for these requests!! Especially when she lives across the country and I only get to see her once a year for her birthday. Extra special cake

The lady in question is 4 years old and this year she is into My Little Pony. Last year it was Princess Sophia and that was what her cake was based off but this year she caught me off guard because I had no idea what this pony business was. She was also veery specific. She wanted a strawberry cake. And of course, you can’t argue with that.

I found out later that My Little Pony is a show about unicorns and horses that are colorful and all about rainbows. Gosh, to be a girl or have a girl!

This strawberry rainbow cake combines everything she loves and asked for.  A fluffy strawberry cake based off this strawberry cookie cake I shared a few weeks earlier and a very bright and colorful rainbow looking exterior. This cake was an inspiration on the rainbow colors.

The swirls are extremely easy to make and it is made using my favorite Wilton tip 1M. In case you want a visual on how-to, my friend Amanda has a great tutorial on how to make these swirls. Head over there before attempting the swirls if this is your first time.

The key to getting the perfect decorating here is the frosting. I love using my whipped buttercream frosting for decorating cakes with tips.  The recipe below is my go-to and it’s whipped very well to make it light and fluffy. If you are making this cake, please use this recipe for the frosting. It colors really great  and will make your life easier in obtaining stiff rosettes.

This cake is fun to decorate and the design can be used with any colors that fit your party or event! Let me know if you try it as I would love to see your renditions.

*Affiliate link included above.

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I found myself making an oldie but a goodie this past weekend. This applesauce cake with caramel glaze is 3 years old and I remembered how good it was that it was the first thing I made last weekend after a big batch of homemade apple sauce. I had to take pictures of it and update the recipe. Hopefully those of you that are new around here will see it now and try it! It’s one of my favorite fall recipes.

It is a lightly spiced applesauce cake that is moist, fluffy and sweet. The cake is topped with a caramel glaze made with either my homemade caramel sauce recipe or a simpler version below. It is the perfect addition to this fall inspired cake!

I find that I do not bake with applesauce as much as I should especially that every time I bake with it, the results are moist muffins, banana bread or cakes. Do you use applesauce a lot in baking? I need to use it more in healthier recipes. But for now, I have lots of applesauce to use and can’t wait to make a batch of these spiced apple macarons again.

If you are looking for an easy, simple, flavorful and delicious fall cake this season, this is it. I know you will love it as much as I have loved it the past few years.

(I love updating my old recipes with new pictures but I always leave one of the old pictures just so I can see how far I’ve come in my journey as a blogger. This recipe was originally posted October 15, 2013.) 

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Hi guys! How are you all doing?? I hope you are having a great week and enjoying the season. The air just changed around here in Upstate NY and it is finally feeling like fall. In addition to making this apple cider cake last weekend, I broke out the scarves and long sweaters.  I LOVE fall fashion and colors!!

This year, I am in love with burgundy. Have you guys noticed burgundy is everywhere? Looks like it is the color of the fall and I am loving it. I got some burgundy pants, sweaters and a few scarves to mix and match with different classic pieces. I am excited for the season!!

Okay back to this fall cake! Apple cider cake with malted vanilla frosting.. doesn’t it sound amazing?? I just love the homey flavors at play here. A moist, fluffy and crumbly apple cake with fresh apples and apple cider. The warm cakes are drenched in apple cider syrup before being topped with malted vanilla frosting. I was a bit skeptical about the combination of apples and malted vanilla at first but then I tasted this cake and all doubt was put to rest. It is just a great combination that I can’t wait for you to try.

This lovely cake is from Cake Magic!: Mix & Match Your Way to 100 Amazing Combinations, one of my new favorite cookbooks. The principle is pretty simple and creative. You choose a batter, flavor it with exciting syrup, add a frosting to create cake magic! It is an easy way to bake luscious, flavorful cakes like this apple cider cake. If you are a cake fanatic like myself, this is the book for you. Check it out and I know you will love it!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I was gifted a copy of Cake Magic! but was under no obligation to bake from it or share it with you. I just loved the book and all the recipes I tried. That being said, there is an affiliate link to amazon for the book above. 

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Every now and then I create something simple that really excites me. A pure magic of great flavor blending and this apple pie cake roll with mascarpone filling is one of those times.

It all started with a conversation with my foodie ex-labmate about what to do with all the apples I picked. I didn’t want to share another apple pie recipe, apple crisp or apple muffins because we’ve been there and done that. I was in the mood for something different and creative. So we brained stormed over dinner and she had the idea of a cake roll. Together we determined that we should do a plain vanilla cake for the roll (not an apple spice cake roll) but fill the cake with apple pie filling to have all those warm flavors of the season and since most of my favorite cake rolls come with a whipped cream filling, we decided mascarpone will be a great addition to seal the deal. And boy!! Was this all a great idea.

We got together one Saturday at brunch and made this apple pie cake roll. It was a labor of true friendship and the results was even more enjoyed. A spongy, soft vanilla cake is filled with cooked apple pie filling and whipped mascarpone cream all rolled up and drizzled with salted caramel sauce. Every flavor is distinct and yet not overpowering. The sweet cake and apple pie feeling goes well with the soft tangy and creamy mascarpone cream filling. And the drizzle of salted caramel adds a sweet and salty touch to it.

I have not been this excited about a recipe in a long time and it might have been because it was all done with a good friend and we bonded and spent great time over it. Baking with and for loved ones is the best!

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Happy Monday friends! A slice of this spiced pear cake will make any day a happy one. I know this because it solved my weekend traveling woes. After almost 12 hours of trying to get home from Atlanta this weekend, I relaxed with a cup of tea and the last slice of this cake that I left in the fridge. For a moment there, I was able to forget about the miserable hours spent trying to get home.

Since when is traveling by plane so much hassle?? It makes you hate flying and dread leaving your house as you may never return to it in time to get anything done. Sadly, I LOVE traveling and can’t imagine not being able to. Ever since my late teens when I moved to Singapore for high school, I’ve been traveling back and forth. When I finally settled in Upstate NY for graduate school and started a family, my traveling has reduced but I still look forward to that 2-3 trips a year when I visit family, friends and attend blogging events. But with always being delayed and unforeseen airline cancellations, I am dreading leaving home. Just this past summer, it took me 12 hours to fly to NC for a work trip. 12 hours for a 2-hour flight!! It would have been faster to drive at that rate.

And this weekend, I went down to Atlanta for a surprise baby shower for my sister (which was AMAZING) and it took me a again a whole day to make it home. I am slowly hating to fly and just have to suck it up and start doing the long drives. But that reduces the already limited time I can spend with the folks I am visiting. Bottom line, airlines suck. They take the fun out of traveling and exploring new places.

Now that I have that off my chest, how about we talk about this spiced pear cake?? I am LOVING everything about it for so many reasons. First of all, there are pears in the cake which are amazing in baked goods and makes everything moist and soft. Then, there is browned butter, which we all know makes everything so much better. That nutty browned butter flavor and juicy pears gives this cake a unique flavor that is almost earthy. Finally, the dash of warm fall spices in the cake and a spiced cinnamon syrup soak makes it all comforting.

I must say, my favorite part about this spiced pear cake is the honey caramel frosting that goes with it. Honey caramel (made of just honey and butter) is whipped into a light vanilla buttercream and that sweetness is beautifully paired with the moist, soft cake. All and all, this cake is a perfect rendition of fall flavors and you need to HAVE it on your table at some point this fall and holiday season.

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Thank you Universal Pictures for sponsoring this Eggnog Bourbon Cake recipe to celebrate the upcoming holiday season and release of the new movie ALMOST CHRISTMAS in theaters November 11^th.

Now that Halloween is far behind us, the holiday season is in full effect and with that comes holiday movies!! This year, I am looking forward to ALMOST CHRISTMAS, a comedy bringing together families for the holiday season and of course that comes with some drama. The film has an all-star cast featuring Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Mo’Nique and so many more. We all know family dramas and food is what the holiday season is made of. I always focus on the sweets instead, it’s easier and safer to satisfy everyone. Like this eggnog bourbon cake!

Eggnog is a debatably one of those family controversies in our family where half of us can’t do it and the other half can’t have a holiday without it. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, my father-in-law makes sure there is enough eggnog for all. Two years ago, I found a way with these eggnog cupcakes with bourbon frosting to bring everyone onto the same side. It was hit and we always have some for our holiday gatherings now. This year, I turned that favorite recipe into this holiday season spectacular Eggnog Bourbon Cake.

This cake starts with a soft, moist and fluffy eggnog cake. I thought as a cake the recipe might be a bit dense but I mixed the eggnog with milk to lighten it up and the resulting cake was just as fluffy as the cupcakes. The spiced up cake and dash of bourbon adds a great flavor to the already delicious cake. The cake is then filled and wrapped in a whipped eggnog bourbon buttercream. Just the perfect combination for an elegant holiday season cake.

Even though I can’t agree with the half of my family that drinks eggnog, I love baking with eggnog and can share new holiday recipes and traditions with my family. It’s all about making memories at the holiday dinner table.

Just like the family in ALMOST CHRISTMAS that get together during the holiday and try to get along. Be sure to watch the trailer below and then make a date with some of your family members to see the film in theaters to get into the holiday season spirit.

What are some of your favorite holiday recipes for your family?

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Hi guys!! Do you have room for one quick last minute recipe? This gingerbread latte cake with a sweet maple glaze is worth the addition to your ever-so filled holiday baking list. I am sorry it is so late but just like you, I am feeling the hustling and bustling of the season. With a house packed with guests and to-do lists longer than my arm, I am trying to get it all done before we hit Friday and sign off for the year.

So bear with me for one last recipe!! This quick bread/cake is perfect for snacks and heck, with your morning coffee too. I feel like I do this every year, I fail to share gingerbread recipes before the holidays and by the time I get to it, it’s too late. It’s not reflective of my love of gingerbread everything at all. I love me some gingerbread and always need to have this classic flavor this time of the year especially the gingerbread latte from my favorite coffee chain. However, besides these gingerbread cookies, this cake was the first gingerbread recipe in my kitchen. And it was well worth it!

This gingerbread latte cake boasts of a perfectly spiced soft gingerbread cake that is infused with espresso powder for that lovely coffee flavor and also marbled with a swirl of cream cheese. Doesn’t that sound delicious? Well, it is just that. Topped off finally with a sweet maple glaze. The glaze can be optional if you like but why would you leave it out?? I mean, it complements the cake so well!! With bold molasses, ginger, cloves and brown sugar the spices of this cake will keep you warm and cozy.

Look at that swirl!! In the interest of keeping things short and sweet today, I will not keep drooling over this cake. I will just advice you to make it and enjoy with your friends and family.

I want to wish you all a merry and happy holiday season!! Thank you for being here with me and hope you enjoy time with your friends and family!

PS: Find the full recipe and directions for this gingerbread latte cake over on Delish Dish where I am sharing it with their readers too.

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This is not a success story. Let’s start off by making that clear. This drunken whiskey caramel cake was a learning experiment and a pain in the pituitary to say the least. Since I am in the business of sharing my baking adventures, we need to see the failures and talk about lessons learned. Even though it did not end up the way I wanted it to look, it was still a VERY delicious cake with a moist, rich yellow cake base and sweet caramel frosting.

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Creating a beautiful Easter basketweave cake is easier than you think with these step-by-step instructions. All you need are the right tools and buttercream frosting. 

I have been making this cake in my head for years but I don’t seem to ever get it done. At first it was a chocolate covered strawberry basket cake that I had in mind for Valentine’s day; a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting in basketweave style topped with chocolate covered strawberries. Wouldn’t that be cute?? Yeah, that is what I thought but never got around to it year after year. Luckily, this year I got my act together and I am putting my piping skills to work with this Easter basketweave cake.

This basketweave cake will be great for any Easter celebration. You can easily redesign the topping for a great Mother’s Day cake.

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