When it comes to cake, it really is no question that chocolate wins as the best flavor ever. Plus, there are so many different varieties and options when it comes to chocolate that it is impossible for a person not to find something they love.

For me, just about any well-prepared chocolate recipe will do, but I think this one deserves a special place in my kitchen. To make this recipe, the eggs were whipped an extra amount, leaving the cake super light and spongy. The chocolate ganache adds richness to the cake, and the coconut adds another layer of flavor.

The recipe was adapted from a book called fika by Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall. “Fika” is the Swedish coffee break and this book is full of recipes that will go great with an afternoon cup. (more…)

Technically, summer doesn’t end until September 22nd, and summer berries are still at the grocery stores, so I’d say that now is as good a time as ever to take advantage.

And if you decide to make this cake after berries have long gone out of season, don’t worry! This can be served with any of your favorite fruits, or you could even make a berry syrup from frozen berries.

But really, the fruit is just a side note. This cake here is the star of the show. It’s soft and spongy, due to a generous serving of yogurt in its batter. It’s also got a sweet, buttery, citrusy flavor to it. Basically, it’s a perfect coffee cake to have on any occasion. (more…)

Cheesecakes in our house are always a special treat. Because they’re so rich and dense, they’re not really the type of dessert that you can have every night — they’re something that should be savored and eaten slowly. When made well, the cream practically melts in your mouth. And the graham cracker crust adds a nice crunchy contrast of texture. And, with this recipe, a light and milky topping perfectly completes the dessert.

Cheesecakes are commitments. Not only does making one require some patience, but eating one does too. Even when you just buy one, you’re committing you and your family to eating the whole thing (not that that’s a scary commitment to make ;).  (more…)

I have only eaten tres leches cake a handful of times, and to be completely honest, I have never actually tried a good one. Maybe I did when I was little, before I had a true appreciation for good desserts, but in my recent years all the ones I have tried have either been bad or just mediocre. 

That being said, I can assure you that this recipe is so different from the cakes I have tried before. These tres leches cupcakes are made with a whipped egg-white batter that gives them a spongy texture. The sponge cupcakes are then filled with milk. The milk sets over a few hours and is able to suffuse throughout the entire cake. 

Instead of icing, these cupcakes are topped with a homemade whipped cream, perfectly complementing the light and fluffy cake.

For a tutorial on how to make these, continue reading.  (more…)

I have two great things for you today: an amazing (and healthy!) almond cake recipe along with a review of the cookbook, Vibrant Food by Kimberely Hasselbrink. 

First, let’s talk about this almond cake: it’s a dense cake made with pure almond flour (so it’s gluten-free), lightly sweetened with honey, and made with olive oil. Thought it’s a dense cake, it’s far from heavy; this would still be considered a light dessert. I can assure you that this was an amazing cake because it was finished in my house before the end of breakfast – this only happens when true perfection has been created! Scroll down for the full recipe. 

Onto the book review: 

If you haven’t heard of Vibrant Food, it’s cookbook showcasing the various fruits and vegetables of each season. The book has four main sections, one for each season. Recipes coordinate with the vegetables and fruits that tend to grow during those seasons.  (more…)

Maybe some of you have noticed, but I don’t have too many layer cake recipes on this site, and it’s mostly because I don’t make layered cakes all that often at my house. Layered cakes tend to be too big and rich for my family to finish them very quickly, so they’re often saved for special occasions, or for when we have dinner guests. 

A couple weeks ago, I decided to make this cake and it transformed our Sunday night dinner into a special occasion! It is made with a fudgy, perfectly moist cake base, layers of Oreo whipped cream in the center, and coated with a rich, fudge-like frosting. Plus, it’s four layers  

This cake was a huge hit because, even though it was a bit rich, I made sure to cut down on the sugar so that it wouldn’t be overwhelming. A lot of times I feel that when I try store-bought cakes they’re just sugar bombs with tons of icing! Even though this is rich, it’s nothing like that. You can enjoy each of the chocolate components without your mouth burning from sugar overload!  (more…)

Even though most people love chocolate, some are pretty picky about their chocolate cakes. 

Luckily, with this cake recipe I was able to please everyone who tried it. 

The cake is a bit fudgey without being overly rich. It has a slight coffee flavor to it that’s not overwhelming. It’s sweetened rather lightly, so don’t worry about this being a sugar-bomb! The icing is similarly light and sweet: it’s just heavy whipping cream with a bit of sugar.  (more…)

A lot of people make banana bread when their bananas begin to over-ripen. I love banana bread, but sometimes it can be just a bit boring. So if you’re like me, looking for a bit more of a sweet treat, try this super amazing and delicious banana crumb cake!

As you can see in this little diagram I have going in the picture above, this banana cake contains apple sauce bits baked right into it, a delicious, buttery crumble topping, and a sweet glaze to top it all off. 

I’m honestly not sure if banana cake can get better than this.  (more…)

Looking for an excuse to have breakfast for dinner? Want another sweet twist on the classic pancake? 

Well then you have to make this recipe. And making a pancake cake is actually a great idea for any type of pancake recipe you have, however I would definitely recommend you try this one. These pancakes aren’t your average. They’re light, sweet, buttery, and just a melt-in-your-mouth kind of delicious. 

And this strawberry filling truly is a great match for the pancakes as it is also light and sweet.  (more…)

Yes, I realize that it’s January and by now many people have grown tired of pumpkin, ginger, and cinnamon in all their desserts, but this is a must-have recipe throughout your winter. 

Plus, with all the terribly cold weather we’ve been getting in the midwest and east coast, lightly spiced desserts like this one really do seem to warm you up. 

And this has been one of the best coffee cakes I’ve made in a while (though I’m not quite sure this one has topped the Apple Crumble Cake I made this past fall).  (more…)