Baked Sunday Mornings: Triple Rum Black Pepper Cake
99 bottles of rum on the wall, 99 bottles of rum…. Oh wait, that’s not how the song goes, is it. Perhaps it’s time to brush up on my pirate tunes? Despite my shoddy maritime musical repertoire, one thing I can say about pirates with a good deal of certainty is that Captain Jack Sparrow […]
The Bee’s Knees: Pull-Apart Honey-Cola Cake with Lemon-Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
I live in California. What we call “winter” is a pathetic shadow of what the rest of the country endures for several months of the year, and it seems that this year’s cold season has been particularly long in many regions. I have reveled in our 70°+ March and April days, weeks-long stretches of brilliant […]
Tastes Like Luck: Chocolate Shamrock Sandwich Cookies
Got luck? I love shamrocks. They make me happy– any time of year, really. The symbol of the shamrock is of course associated with Ireland today, and has come to be synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. The word comes from the Irish-Gaelic seamróg, meaning “little clover”. Legend has it that St. Patrick used this 3-leaf […]
Ode to the Emerald Isle: Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes
I have a love affair with Ireland. Anything Irish– people, history, folklore, language, music– something about this culture resonates in my soul. It’s been that way since I was a teenager, when I attended college in Boston and worked for a small company of Irish pubs. Boston itself has a rich Irish history and character, […]
Heart-to-Heart Conversation: Valentine’s Sweetheart Cheesecakes
Kiss Me… Be Mine… Sexy… XOXO… Dreamy… Sweet Talk….. Text Me?! I have to admit… I can’t stand Valentine’s Day conversation heart candies. To me, they are chalky and dry, and they just don’t taste good. However, those Sweethearts made by NECCO are one of the most iconic sweets for this holiday, and the quintessential […]
Sealed with a Kiss: Chocolate Heart, X & O Cakes
The symbols of X & O representing kisses and hugs are of course among the most recognizable symbols associated with love and, by extension, Valentine’s Day. I never really knew where this came from, though I assumed that the letters simply resembled their corresponding affectionate gesture: X looks somewhat like puckered lips, and O looks […]
Baked Sunday Mornings: Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies
I have been having a blast researching Valentine’s Day baking recipes for the past couple of weeks, as this is my first V-Day since beginning this blog. I’ve got some cute stuff coming in the next several days, though this week’s Baked Sunday Mornings recipe, Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies from Baked Explorations, didn’t really set off […]
Baked Sunday Mornings: Holiday Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream
Updated (again) photo from Christmas 2016 remake– update at the bottom! You know how athletes often learn to visualize a victorious race or a perfect routine? When I’m baking something new, especially something exciting and beautiful, I often have a mental image of what I want it to look like; it’s usually pretty, elegant, professional-looking, […]
Late to the Table: Sweet Potato Biscuits
It has been a mighty busy couple of weeks at Stellina– the quantity of butter and eggs that passes through this tiny apartment kitchen is pretty staggering! I’m still catching up on recipes from Thanksgiving, and I just couldn’t pass up posting these Sweet Potato Biscuits. I have been wanting to try Sweet Potato Biscuits for […]
The Wafel Whisperer: Pumpkin Marshmallow Spekuloos Cupcakes
I’ve had these cupcakes in my head for many months, and (happy joy!) it was finally time to realize the dream. They are the perfect flavor combination for Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season, as they evoke the warmth and coziness of this chilly and festive time of year. No doubt you’ve had, or at […]