I’ve been a busy baker over the past few days and am behind in blog posts, so they will be in reverse order, like tweets on Twitter. The 23rd was the 87th birthday of a friend whom I invited to choose the flavors of his birthday cake and frosting. He chose caramel frosting on a … More Chocolate Cake with Caramel Fudge Frosting for A Birthday
There’s a birthday party next month for one of my favorite children and collaborator on cake. She will be nine (9!) and we’re doing some things the same way and some things in a different way. Her sister’s recent birthday* taught us a bit about cake architecture and this cake will teach a bit about … More In the kitchen with juliyya: (Rocket) practice makes perfect.
I had a day of activities with two of my favorite children last Saturday and I took the opportunity to teach them how to make peanut butter frosting and then use it in two ways instead of one. I’d made a batch of Crazy Cake cupcakes, both regular-sized and minis, and asked the girls’ mother … More In the kitchen with juliyya: Peanut Butter Frosting for Graham Cracker Sandwiches and Cupcakes
Pot lucks because that’s how the family does gatherings for every occasion. Everybody brings something, usually made by hand. Lots of salads and barbecue and desserts. My mother’s birthday in on July 6th, a Saturday this year and also on a day which is part of a lengthy holiday weekend so some folks may miss … More Mother’s 90th Birthday Party Potluck
Perhaps we let the photos show how a few layers of chocolate cake and a dozen mini-cupcakes with peppermint frosting became the birthday cake for a sleepover party with 12 girls, all around the age of 11 years. I did the baking and shaping, frosted between the layers and applied a bit of crumb coat … More In the kitchen with juliyya: Octopus Birthday Cake
I received an envelope with a card and a two-page story from the 8 year-old girl in whose honor the character of Pinky arose along with Pinky’s Grasshopper Cupcake. (If I didn’t mention it already, Pinky is attracted to frostings.) The young lady and her sister have created critters to join Lady Lolita VandenBug and … More When one gets a Mesij from Caryor Pishon, one makes Leftover Cake
Maybe 30 years ago I made a 3-tiered version of this cake for the 50th birthday of the wife of the lawyer for whom I worked in Santa Monica at the time, along with the rest of the meal I catered for 50 guests, precisely. It was then, like now, Camp Fire mint season and … More Chocolate Mint Cake, Deluxe Edition
The 17th of January is the birthday of my youngest brother, 10 years younger than me (the oldest of six.) Since he lives in my mother’s home and helps to care for her and the property, she would have baked a cake for his birthday. However, she’s recovering from a surgery at a rehab facility … More Triple Chocolate Birthday Cake
The 22nd of December is the birthday of a friend who didn’t get a cake on her birthday last year (or even a dedicated post-birthday cake) not due to oversight but because my daughter took me to Las Vegas to satisfy my curiosity about the city at the same time as removing me from the … More Chocolate Sourdough Cherry Cake with Betty Christensen’s Fudge Frosting, and a joyous family surprise
It was two years ago when the first Snowman birthday cake* made such an impression on the six-year old who enjoyed the creative process and result so much that she decided another must be made. Perhaps the theme might be repeated next year in some way. Maybe three starts a tradition. Who knows? (We’ve already … More In a kitchen with juliyya: Snowman birthday cake, Part Deux, with a family
