Dog Bed Donuts

Last week I celebrated by dog’s 8th birthday.  It was kind of bittersweet seeing how much he’s grown and changed over the years.  When I picked him up from the shelter at 1 year old, he was a scruffy, thin pup with the face of a fluffy teddy bear.  Now he’s a little old man, with the same spirit in those round, bright brown eyes and vigor in his wagging tail, but his fur is rougher and he’s plumped up from all the treats I’ve spoiled him with.  He’s slowed down and prefers to sleep most of the day away, only waking for a brief greeting, food, or short bursts of playtime.

Upside-Down Ginger Toffee Orange Bran Cake

I love that many of the foods we eat become attached to our fondest memories.  A single bite of an unassuming dish eaten on some special occasion can years later sweep us back to our sweetest memories and remind us of the dear people with whom we shared them.
For instance, pineapple upside-down cake holds a special place in my heart.  It’s not that I particularly love the taste or concept of it, but that any thought of this type of cake evokes a memory from my early childhood, when my preschool teacher led my class in making mini pineapple upside-down cakes.  I still recall the sight of my teacher scooping batter into a big muffin pan and leaving the room to take it to the school kitchen, and being the only kid who stuffed her cake into a Ziploc bag to take home and share with her sister.  I remember feeling the sugary satisfaction of sweet sticky pineapple and juicy maraschino cherry on top of a fluffy, golden-brown cake, but also a sense of childlike wonder at this unusual treat that looked like a cupcake but was upside-down and had caramelized fruit on top in place of frosting.

Baked Black Sesame Nutella Donuts

Happy National Donut Day!  I love it that we’ve dedicated certain days in the year to honoring our favorite foods, not just Donut Day but also ones like National Bacon Day, Pizza Day, and even Crab Stuffed Flounder Day.  It makes me wonder, when did people first think of having these kinds of holidays, and were they meant for full-on Mother’s-Day-like celebration, some form of food marketing strategy, or just a day when we can simply give ourselves a bit more right to indulge?
I personally think donuts are too good to even need a day for us to appreciate them, but either way, it’s time to seize the occasion and put my donut pan to good use.

Super Moist Carrot Cake

Happy spring!  Oh, the allergies are getting real now…and the bees, so many bees…  But on the bright side, the temperature has been in the comfortable 70s (at least here in Southern California) and all the bushes and trees are pink with pretty blossoms.
With Easter approaching in just a few weeks, I thought some carrot cake would be totally appropriate right now, and this recipe in particular is just too good not to share.

Valentine’s Day Mini Chocolate Box Cakes

Happy Valentine’s Day!  It’s time for chocolate, flowers, and lots of heart-shaped goodies for you and your special someone!  A box of chocolates is always a classic gift to give on this holiday, so here’s a recipe for some really cute mini chocolate box cakes.

Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

I love sweet potatoes.  And while at this time of year people are baking all things pumpkin- pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, everything pumpkin spice- I think sweet potatoes and yams deserve a little more attention.  So here are some awesome sweet potato cupcakes to bring to the table, glazed with chocolate ganache and filled with a surprise cream cheese filling.

Froot Loops Funfetti Cake with Cereal Milk Whipped Cream

I love birthdays, not for the presents or the parties or the getting-older, but because of the joy I get in baking a birthday cake for myself.  Unlike a lot of kids, I didn’t grow up having pretty birthday parties and getting loads of presents every year; in fact, I can’t recall ever having any sort of birthday party beyond just sitting around a big blue ice cream cake with my family for ten minutes after dinner.  Birthday celebrations in my home were always very simple, but they were just as special because they were the few times in the year when my siblings and I got to eat cake.

Chocolate Sweet Potato Chickpea Flour Cake

Have you ever bought something just because it was on sale, even though you didn’t know how to use it or even had any idea what it was?
A couple of weeks ago I bought a bag of “besan flour” that was on sale at a really good price- a big bag for only 2 dollars I think – without having any idea what it was or what it was used for.  I took it home, curiously stared at the package for a while, and then stuffed it in my pantry where, up until now, it has been sitting patiently, waiting to serve a purpose.
It only took a quick Google search to find out “besan flour” (also known as gram flour or garbanzo bean flour) was just flour made from chickpeas, but it wasn’t until yesterday I decided I would finally try making something out of it, to see how it differed from the regular all-purpose wheat flour I was used to.

Mini Lemon Ricotta Cheesecakes with Balsamic Strawberries

Fun fact:  Cheesecake is actually more of a custard than it is a cake!  Who would’ve thought?  It’s kind of like when I was little, and somebody told me pandas were actually not bears, but more closely related to raccoons, another one of those fun facts that make you question everything you thought you knew.

Although these ricotta cheesecakes probably aren’t as custard-y as their more typical cream cheese counterpart (they contain flour also, whereas the latter is set only by eggs), they’re just as delicious, especially when served fun-size with a yummy balsamic strawberry topping.

Chocolate Raspberry-Filled Baked Donuts

Just recently, I got a donut pan!  Maybe to some it doesn’t sound all that special, but I am super excited, especially since until now I have actually never made donuts, let alone baked donuts.  But now, I can’t imagine how much fun I’m going to have with this thing.  Starting today, I’ll be baking a bunch of random donut-shaped stuff, the first of which are these rich chocolate cake donuts with a sweet, jammy surprise in the middle.  With the powdered sugar on top, these are almost like the chocolate donut version of a Linzer cookie.