rhubarb coffee cake

I've moved over to a new blog!  Head over to The Farmer's Daughter for the full post and recipe!

-kels

s'mores cupcakes

Three things that you must know:

1)  I have never actually been camping before.
(Shame on me right?  That's what you get when you live on a berry farm in Summer)

2)  I have made s'mores in Winter by placing a marshmallow on a toothpick, and holding it over a candle.

3)  I definitely borrowed my Dad's blowtorch for these cupcakes since I don't have a proper kitchen one yet....and it just sounded way more exciting.

It's always fun when I get to experiment with something new in the kitchen....and using a blowtorch for these cupcakes was a hoot!  Haha.  Let's say there was quite a bit of squealing and giggling coming from the kitchen as Jordyn and I tested our torching skills!

These cupcakes were inspired by call me cupcake's version, although I used my own chocolate cake recipe!  You should definitely go check her website out!  Some of it is in Swedish, but she always has her recipes in English as well.  It's just so darling!

I'm in love with all of the textures these cupcakes have going on.  The crunchy/crumbly graham cracker crust (that will inevitably end up all over your lap), the fluffy chocolate cake, and finally the little dollop of toasted heaven on top!  So good.

S'mores Cupcakes
inspired by: Linda Lomelino

Ingredients:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp butter (melted)

1/2 cups Flour
1 cups Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Cocoa
1/2 TBSP Vanilla
1 TBSP Vinegar
1/3 cup Margarine (melted)
1 cups Warm Water

3 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

*thermometer (for measuring marshmallow frosting temperature)

Instructions:
1) Mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  (If crumbs seem too gooey or too dry, you can just add either a bit more crumbs or butter).
2)  Prepare a cupcake tin with paper liners.  Firmly press a couple teaspoons of crumb mixture into the bottom of 12 liners.
3)  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Set aside.
4)  In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients together.
5)  Pour wet ingredients over dry, and mix until combined.
6)  Pour cake batter into the 12 liners.
7)  Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.
8)  Mix together egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan with gently boiling water.  Whisk constantly to ensure your eggs don't curdle.  Whisk like crazy!  Keep cooking until the mixture reaches 65 degrees celsius. 
9)  Remove from heat and whip on your highest speed until stiff peaks form.  Add in vanilla.
10)  Frost your cupcakes however you like!  I used my largest star tip and a frosting bag, but a large ziplock with the end simply cut out would also work great.
11)  If you have a kitchen torch, then go to town toasting your marshmallow frosting.  
If not, you can place your cupcakes on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven.  These do not take long at all, so please do not take your eyes off of them!
Or, you can always borrow a blowtorch and toast them that way...

3-layer angel food peeps cake

I've moved over to a new blog!  Head over to The Farmer's Daughter for the full post and recipe!

p.s.  ♥ kelsey 

mocha cheesecake

I could have titled this post: "the only cheesecake I ever make", because that is the truth.  

I've tried several other recipes for cheesecakes, but this one is my all-time favorite.  Since cheesecake is a relatively expensive dessert that I tend to only make once in a while (for special occasions!), I really don't like experimenting too much.  I just love this recipe too much!

Also, for those of you who aren't really coffee fans...fear not!  I'm totally not a coffee drinker (at all), and I can't get enough of this cake.  If you're still not sure, you can always leave out the instant coffee for an excellent chocolate cheesecake!

Mocha Cheesecake

from: Jean Pare - Company's Coming: Chocolate Everything

Ingredients:

1/3 cup margarine, melted
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder

tasty tuesday: salted caramel pretzel mocha cake (aka: an incredibly late birthday post)

I've moved over to a new blog!  Head over to The Farmers Daughter for the full post and recipe!

p.s. ♥ kelsey

moustache cake for movember

Hello friends and Happy Movember!

Since November is drawing to a close, hopefully you've seen some magnificent moustaches (although I won't lie, I've definitely seen my fair share of sketchy ones).  Jordyn and I made a cake to celebrate, and were pretty stoked about finally using our giant moustache mold!

Why yes, that is a moustache comb in the photo above.  Doesn't everyone have one?

Mocha Cake

from: the Food Network

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup of strongly brewed coffee or espresso
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup hot water

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
2) Add in eggs, vanilla, coffee and oil, and mix until batter is smooth.
3) Slowly add in hot water, until well mixed.
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
*If you're using a mold like ours, be sure to keep checking on it.  We noticed the ends of the moustache cooked quite a bit faster than the middle.  So make sure to be checking if the fattest part of the cake is done!

We chose a chocolate butter cream to top our moustache, but you could definitely do a regular butter cream and make it any colour you desire!

Jordyn used a butter knife to spread the icing, and then made small grooves in it for a bit of texture.  We think that shaved chocolate would also be a neat idea!

Happy Movember!

p.s. ♥ kelsey & jordyn

tasty tuesday: decadent chocolate torte with salted caramel whipped cream and caramel drizzle

Oh my word.

This cake is decadence defined.

Rich, smooth, chocolatey goodness awaits you my friends!  

My dear friend Eryn and I have a wonderful tradition of getting together and baking something crazy.  We were on a cupcake kick for a long time, but this time we decided to make chocolate tortes!  Truthfully, I had no idea what a torte actually was before we made it.  I knew they were flourless, but that was about it!  So, we chose to make a chocolate torte...and then top it with salted caramel whipped cream (and a caramel drizzle to boot), because why not combine all of our favorite things into one dessert!  

Chocolate Torte

from: simply so good

Ingredients:

1 cup Water
3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Butter (diced)
18 ounces Bittersweet (not unsweetened) or Semisweet Chocolate (chopped)
6 Eggs

Directions:

1) Butter a 10-inch-diameter spring form pan (or several mini spring form pans...we used several 4-inch pans, and adjusted the cooking times), and wrap 3 layers of heavy duty foil around the top of the pan (this will be to keep water from leaking into the pan!).
2) In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for about 5 minutes, and then remove from heat.
3) Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Then, add your chocolate and whisk until smooth.
4) Whisk the sugar syrup into the chocolate mixture, and cool slightly.
5) Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking until it is well blended (*it's important that your chocolate mixture is cool enough that it doesn't start cooking the eggs!).
6)  Place the cake pan in a large baking dish, and add enough hot water to the baking dish so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan.

7)  Bake at 350 degrees, until the center no longer moves when the pan is gently shaken. About 50 minutes for a 10-inch pan (and approximately 40 minutes for smaller pans....although this will depend on how thick you make them. We baked ours at 10 minute intervals, checking the middle each time to see if they were getting close to being done!).

8)  Carefully remove the pan from the water bath, and cool completely in the spring-form pan.

Salted Caramel Drizzle + Whipped Cream

from: they call me saucy

For the Caramel:

1/2 cup Sugar

3 tbsp Butter (cubed)

1/4 cup heavy Cream

1)  First, make sure everything is measured out and ready to go.  Making caramel isn't too tricky, but being well-prepared is key!

2)  In a medium saucepan, heat your sugar over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly (you can add a teeny bit of water here to help out if you want...however, your caramel won't be quite as creamy!).

3)  Make sure to keep stirring the entire time, otherwise you might get chunks of unmelted sugar.

4)  Keep cooking the sugar until it turns a nice golden brown and is all dissolved.  Then, add your butter and keep stirring like mad!  *It's going to bubble a lot...don't be afraid!

5)  Turn the heat off, keep stirring, and add in your cream once the butter has all melted.

6)  Continue stirring and remove from heat.  

7)  The hardest part is letting it cool.  I usually stick my pot in the fridge...because I'm impatient like that.

For the Salted Caramel Whipped Cream:

4 tbsp of Caramel

1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste!)

1 cup heavy Cream

1)  Whip your cream (until it has soft or stiff peaks...you choose!).

2)  Then add in your caramel and salt to taste...the measurements are really just a rough guideline!

Now, use this to top off your tortes right before you serve them!

Yep, this cake is mostly chocolate.  Need I say more?

It's super important to make sure that your tinfoil is wrapped nice and tight around your pan(s), as you don't want any water leaking through!

Making caramel can be scary the first time you do it, but once you do...you'll never look back!

And I can't wait to try this torte with different variations of whipped cream and sauces.  I currently have my heart set on a beautiful raspberry whipped cream and raspberry sauce....mmmhhh.

Me and Eryn!

Tortes are a wonderful option for those allergic to gluten, as well as anyone who loves delicious things.
Just sayin', you should probably go make this now.

p.s.  ♥ kelsey

{ all you need is love }

Happy Valentines Day dear readers!

I am absolutely thrilled to present you with a Valentines Day tea party inspiration shoot that I organized and did the photography for here in Edmonton. Here's a little taste of what I've been up to.... For more love, please go visit my photography blog @ claracphotography.blogspot.ca and leave me some love too! 

Wishing you all an absolutely lovely day~ 

p.s.  ♥ clara

tasty tuesday: angel food cake {from scratch} + 7-minute frosting + a happy new year!

I've moved over to a new blog!  Head over to The Farmer's Daughter for the full post and recipe!

p.s.  ♥ kelsey

diy: paint chip bunting

Those who know me well know that I am obsessed with bunting.  Seriously obsessed.

I just love it so much!  It's so whimsical and fun, and can easily brighten up any space or cake!  When Jordyn made two birthday cakes for her friends (who are twins!), we knew they needed something special to finish them off.  I instantly thought of bunting!  And in just a couple minutes I whipped up two mini strands, and popped them on top of the cakes!

Now all you need are a few paint chips (I grabbed a stack from Home Depot!), or you can use coloured paper or cardstock!  Construction paper would work too!  I just loved the idea of using paint chips, since you can really pick up any shade(s) you want!

Materials:

-paint chips (or: coloured paper/cardstock, construction paper, etc.)

-wooden skewers (or: anything that will hold up the bunting!)

-string (or: hemp, fishing line, floss, etc.)

-tape (or: glue)

-scissors

Directions:

1)  First, gently press your skewers into the top of your cake in order to measure how far apart you want them. Hold up your string between the two skewers to measure how much you'll need, and cut. Be sure to leave a bit of extra string at each end so that you'll be able to tie them to the skewers. 

2)  Now start cutting out triangles from your paint chips!  You can choose to make them bigger or smaller depending on how many you want to arrange on your string.

3)  Remove the skewers from the cake, and tie the string to each end.

4)  Now, fold the widest edge of the triangles over the string, and tape.  (Alternatively, you can cut out diamonds, fold them in half, and glue them over the string.  That way, your bunting will look cute from the front AND back).

5)  Arrange the triangles along the string until you're happy with how it looks.

6)  Finally, carefully insert your skewers back into the cake...and voila! You're done!

*This is also the same method we used for simple paper bunting!

1) cut out triangles. 2) fold over string. 3) trim edges of triangles. 4) admire your work!

These cakes are mocha!  Click here for the recipe!

I love this simple way of dressing up desserts!  I think I might try an even smaller version on cupcakes!

p.s. ♥ kelsey