Year of cake. hmph!

Dang! I didn't do an April cake. Now it's May.
I made vanilla orange cupcakes last week, but I didn't take pictures of them. I just ate them. all of them. I've been messing around with recipes trying to make a "creamsicle" cake. Something creamy with a little bit of orange flavor.
So, I guess I'll have to make two cakes for May. Poor me.

Hummingbird Cake

I made a cake for Whitney's birthday. The beautiful Whitney is turning 28 tomorrow and she deserves a cake. I'm not actually sending her the cake because her birthday is only one day away, she lives far from me, cakes don't do well in the mail, and she eats well and won't appreciate cake in her diet. Still, we will celebrate for her here in Tucson.

I made a hummingbird cake from my new favorite cookbook, Back to the Table.The basic premise of the cookbook is that we should all slow down a little bit and eat together more often. Especially in our little family of two, we sometimes have to remind ourselves that dinner is important time together and we should eat at the table. This cookbook has a slightly southern flair and is full of delicious recipes. I like the hummingbird cake recipe because it makes a kick ass cake, but also because it is sort of rough and simple. You don't use a mixer, so you can really make this one with someone else in the kitchen and still hear eachother's conversation. We haven't tried it yet, but when we do, we will think of Whitney and sing to her birthday.

Turn around, bright eyes

It's a total eclipse of the moon!
Look at what an incredible photographer I am. Here is a National Geographic-worthy shot of tonight's eclipse. I know, I know. I'll make prints available later.
R. and I went outside in time to see the last half of the moon disappear. We performed special dances in the front yard and sang the "Moon!" cheer to make sure that it would come back. That's right, you have us to thank for the return of the moon. Next time you're at the beach watching the tide, be sure to remember what we did for you.


Also, remember how this is the year of cake? Here's February's cake. I made this for the lovely Katrina for her birthday. It is a version of my mom's favorite cake ever. It's chocolate on the inside with 1/2 buttercream and 1/2 cream cheese icing on the outside. The red drizzles are white chocolate dyed red. Happy Birthday, Katrina. Welcome to Tucson

2008!

Happy New Year!

Did you get the memo? 2008 is officially the year of cake. 2007 was big for cupcakes, but this year, full cakes are back to claim their place in the dessert race.
No more wimpy tiny cakes. No more weird icing piled up really high. 2008 will be full of delicious cakes meant to be shared with others. And they will be pink.