For the Love of Cakes

I don't remember my mom ever making a bundt cake, let alone a tunnel of love cake so when a good friend of mine requested this cake for her birthday celebration I had to do some reading.  WOW, who knew there were so many variations and with such crappy ingredients?  Many recipes called for cake mixes with pudding mixes added in.....I just can't in good conscience bake a cake like that.  I finally found what sounded like a reasonable (from scratch) alternative.  You can find the recipe here if you are interested http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-09/features/ct-food-0201-simple-bundt-20120201_1_fudge-cake-chocolate-cake-bittersweet-chocolate   The element that I would not omit was the cacao nibs, they were surprising and delicious!  I also thought this one sounded good  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2010/05/04/tunnel-of-love/#.VqYqOKwHefk.gmail Maybe another day.  Nibs and the cocoa/flour mix   A good example of why you ...

Invite me to a dinner party and I might make you one of these..... Blood Orange Almond Ricotta Cake Unexpected dinner guests, I might also make you some of these!   This recipe came directly from Smitten Kitchen's most recent post.  I made the cake as she suggested in the headliner notes, with 100% almond meal.  Next time I want to try mascarpone cheese (for a smoother texture?) and meyer lemons.  The cake was raved over by everyone who had a piece, and yes it might have been better than chocolate! 

A cake for a surprise 40th birthday party, the first one of 2016 Beginnings of Salted Caramel Sauce Finished Sauce Cake being assembled Finished Cake Since there will be 40+ people at the party we will likely need a few cupcakes Inspired by the guest of honor's favorite ice cream, Karamel Sutra, I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe, Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake (Food and Wine December 2005). The frosting a chocolate buttercream modified from "Triple Chocolate Cake" ( Call me Cupcake) and the filling/decoration a combination of "Salted Caramel Sauce" (Two Peas and Their Pod), caramel candy bars (left over from Christmas, a re-gift if you will) and chocolate squares.