Cakes, Quality Time and Cookbook Giveaway
Last summer, I was drawn to a magazine article about a London Fog cake, made with Earl Grey tea by Tessa Huff. I’ve always wanted to make beautiful cakes but have never really spent much time learning how to do so. I’ve tried my hand at the occasional home made birthday cake or our yearly Easter lamb cake but nothing that requires me to really stretch my cake baking knowledge.
The London Fog cake article led me to purchase Tessa’s beautiful cake cookbook, Layered. I have written about Tessa before, but what started as “let’s make this cool cake” has turned into spending quality time with my son and his friends.
When the book arrived, we quickly purchased real cake baking paraphenalia Tessa recommended~~the correct pans, parchment liners and frosting implements.
This notion of baking cakes took on a life of its own. My foodie son and his friends (all who are extreme athletes and very tall) started showing up in the kitchen to take on the challenge of cake baking. Who would have thought?
The very first cake we made was the Banoffee Tiramisu Cake~~a boozy banana espresso cake. The vanilla espresso chiffon cake is brushed with a rum-soaked espresso, then filled with mascarpone buttercream topped with salted caramel and chocolate curls.
Here are my two cake baking buddies. My son Benjamin is 6’1″ and his friend, Max is 6’5″. Both are entering their final semester in college and have been friends for years.
Tessa’s book is filled with so much information on everything from what to stock in your pantry to how to frost a cake. The recipes are in sections-Classic, Chocolate, Casual, Whimsical, Adventurous, and Holiday cakes.
Sweet Tea Cake was our next selection, which was inspired by the food of the South. A lemon butter cake is layered with Sweet Tea Buttercream with a Vanilla Bean Buttercream frosting. It was the first time we have made candied lemons as a garnish.
Piping the frosting was the most difficult part….hard to have a steady hand with a vertical motion.
The next cake was difficult to make and doesn’t really look fabulous in my photos, but it is SO delicious! We’ve made it twice so far. The Brooklyn Blackout Cake is a decadent chocolate cake from Ebinger’s Bakery in Brooklyn. Named after World War II blackout drills, this was a staple in Brooklyn until the bakery closed in 1972.
It’s a devil’s food cake with chocolate custard with a dark chocolate ganache frosting. It’s very messy to make because you then cover the entire cake with cake crumbs.
Thanksgiving 2016, we made the Caramel Apple Cake.
Christmas 2016 was the Chocolate Pomegranate Cake.
New Years 2016 was the Golden Champagne Celebration Cake.
Since Benjamin spent the summer in Washington, D.C. we didn’t make many cakes but we managed to make this Strawberry Shortcake without him. A perfect summer dessert when the berries are at their best.
Thanksgiving, this year, was the Butterscotch Bourbon Cake.
And our most recent, was the Christmas Cake~~Red Currant Chocolate Cake, a spectacular combination of chocolate, raspberry, red currant and creme de cassis.
As a result of this cookbook, I have enjoyed hours of quality time with our son and his friends in the kitchen, making memories over gorgeous and sometimes challenging recipes.
It is now time for the amazing giveaway! I will be giving one new (not sticky and dog-eared) Layered cookbook to the lucky winner, in hopes they too, will create happy cake memories.
How to enter- please do at least one of the following:
- Leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite cake(s).
- Follow me on Instagram (@lifeatbellaterra), like me and tag a friend.
The contest will end at midnight on December 31st, 2017. The winner’s name will be randomly selected from all the entries.
Have a very happy and safe New Year’s holiday!
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Mary~
I loved seeing these pictures. Those cakes look amazing and the fact that your son and his friend made one is awesome?! This has inspired me to start baking with the new cookbook I got from you! Thank you!
Lory
Happy New Year! I love that Ben and Max enjoy baking such beautiful cakes. Costa is awesome at baking pies, but now I think it’s time for him to branch out.
My favorite cake is a three layer carrot cake from Croccodile Cafe in Pasadena, California. Although the cafe is no longer there, I’m glad that I still have the original recipe which ran in the Los Angeles Times in the early 90’s. It is the cake that Nick asks for every year on his birthday and is filled with fresh grated carrots, crushed pineapple and walnuts. Yum!
Effie, the three layer carrot cake sounds so delicious! You can’t go wrong with pineapple and walnuts! It’s so funny that the crew boys are still visiting my kitchen~~great friendships that will last a lifetime.
Best wishes to you and your family for an amazing 2018!
Red Velvet has always been my favorite, her strawberry cake looks delicious and is very beautiful too!!
I have never made a Red Velvet cake so I must add that to the list! The best part of making these cakes are the memories created in our kitchen. Ever since my son was little, he was in the kitchen either playing with the pots and pans or throwing flour in the air. Now, at 22, he is a very good cook and loves to try new recipes. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with him and his friends, who always have an appetite for eating! Best wishes to you for a happy and healthy 2018.
I’m not sure this counts, but my grandmother made the most wonderful tea cakes! But any cake is good cake…
I’m not sure this counts, but my grandmother made the most wonderful tea cakes! But really, any cake is good cake…
I love that so many cake memories are associated with our mothers and grandmothers. My mother was not a cake baker, but made amazing pies. Thank you for following my blog and best wishes for a safe and happy 2018!
Mary,
Your cakes are works of art and my mouth is watering just from the pictures. Benjamin is also so grown up. How does that happen? My favorite cake is a pineapple upside down cake made in a cast iron skillet. It was my dad’s favorite too and brings back a flood of memories every time I make it. Even if I don’t win the cookbook I’m going to buy a copy. Happy New Year!!!
I have never made a cake in a cast iron skillet, but your pineapple upside down cake sounds like a winner. I remember my mother making one, with maraschino cherries in the middle of the pineapple rings.
Thank you for following my blog and best wishes to you and your family in 2018!
Mary,
The cakes all look beautiful and yummy. My favorite cake is one that has been handed down from my maternal, great-great, grandmother. I have seen variations of the cake in different cooking magazines and books. It is Kentucky Butter Cake with Rum sauce. This is made in a bundt pan and after it bakes, holes are poked in the top of the cake with a toothpick. Then, the rum sauce is drizzled all over the top of the cake allowing for it to soak through. It makes the cake extremely moist. (who likes a dry cake right?) I love it because it is super moist, and super yummy and, because women in our family have made it throughout the years on special occasions. I think it is time for me to pull out the recipe and make this again! Thank you for sharing!
Lisa
I have never made a rum cake and your Kentucky Butter Cake sounds delicious. I am hoping I can locate the recipe online, if not, please share it! I love the stories of how cakes are generational, eliciting fond memories. Thank you for following my blog and best wishes for a very happy 2018.
Kentucky Butter Cake
Bake at 325 for 60-65 minutes
Makes 10″ tube cake
Sift together….3 cups AP Flour, 1tsp double acting baking powder, 1tsp salt, and 1/2tsp soda
Cream…..1C butter-gradually add 2C sugar, creaming well.
Blend in…..4 unbeaten eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Combine….1C buttermilk or sour milk and 2tsp vanilla. Add alternately with dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Blend well after each addition with electric mixture (use low speed)
Turn….into 10″ tube pan, greased on bottom
Bake….at 325 degrees for 60-65 minutes until cake springs back when touched in center. Take fork and poke holes in top of cake. Pour hot sauce over cake. Cool before removing. Can sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Butter Sauce:
Combine in saucepan…….1C sugar, 1/4C water, and 1/2C butter. Heat until butter melts. Do not boil. Add 1 TBSP vanilla or Rum flavor (you can us Rum alcohol, if not sub the rum flavor)
Lisa,
I look forward to making this! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe….it just may be another blog post!
Mary
Mary,
I look forward to seeing it; I am sure it will be a beautiful post!
Thanks!!
My most memorable cake is a spice cake that was made for my wedding in 1967. Crystal Ice Company had a side business that catered weddings. The recipe was from their family background. The recipe contained mashed potatoes! I recall we paid an extra $7.00 to have walnuts included. Ten years later I decided to track down the recipe for our 10th Anniversary. It was very difficult. Crystal Ice Company recalled the person who ran the former catering department, long since retired. Where was he? Finally, someone who knew someone that knew him completed the trail. He was in poor health but recalled the special recipe and had his wife search for it. After a week or so, I received a nice letter with the recipe inside. Many people went out of their way to help me. I made the cake for Bill on our 10th Anniversary and he was really impressed. This last July we celebrated 50 years of marriage. You have inspired me to make it again. Linda Riley
I LOVE this story. I am so glad you were able to track down the recipe and mashed potatoes?? How interesting! Best wishes to you and your family in 2018.
Mary – These cakes are amazing! If you ever need a taste tester give me a call. My favorite cake is one from a very old December Southern Living magazine. They always do a white cake for Christmas and the one I make is Peppermint Red Velvet, very pretty and very tasty.
I think some of the best cake recipes have come from Southern Living. Your Peppermint Red Velvet sounds delicious. Thank you so much for connecting me with Lory, from ToHaveToHost. I look forward to meeting her, as you said we live next to each other?
Best wishes to you and your family in 2018.