Category Archives: Cake

Sunday Sweets! Cake Au Citron et Confit de Clémentines à la Vanille

Today’s sweet is so refreshing and lemony!

Here’s the recipe from foodbeam!

Cake weekend au citron et confit de clémentines à la vanille

makes one loaf cake

for the lemon weekend cake
4 eggs
250g caster sugar
zest from 2 fat organic lemons
200g plain flour
one tsp baking powder
150g double cream
50g butter, melted

softened butter, extra for piping

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Butter and flour a loaf tin.
Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl, and whip until thick and doubled in size. In an another bowl, mix the flour, lemon zest and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Then pour a little of this onto the cream and melted butter, mix well, and transfer back to the main batter mix. Fold in gently.
Pour into the prepared tin, pipe a line of butter across the cake; and bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean.

for the clémentines confit
350g clémentines, around 3 to 4
200g sugar
half a vanilla pod
100g water
20g cornflour diluted in 40g cold water

bring a large pan of water to the boil. Plunge the clémentines in it and simmer for 3 minutes. Sieve, placing the fruits in an ice-cold water bath as you do so. Repeat one more time. Then chill the clémentines until cold enough to handle.
Slice very finely, and place in a pan along with the sugar, vanilla pod and seeds, and water. Simmer for 30 minutes or until reduced and almost candied. Then vigorously fold in the corn flour mixture. Allow to boil for a couple of minutes, and transfer to a bowl.
Chill.

to serve
a generous dollops of crème fraiche for each serving

Place a slice of cake cut in half lengthwise in a plate. Top with both a spoonful of confit and a dollop of crème fraiche.

Fanny has a lot of really great tips and tricks for this perfect weekend cake.

In order to create that perfect crack in the cake all you need to do is “pipe a line of butter on the top of your unbaked loaf.  Simply cream a couple of tablespoons of butter, and using a piping bag – or as I do, a paper cornet – pipe a thin line across the length of the cake.”

via foodbeam

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Filed under Cake, Spring, Summer, Sweets

Our Wedding: The Reception Decor

images from personal collection

To see more of our photos from our reception click here!

This week is all about our reception decor!

The best part about getting married around the holidays is the instantaneous decor. Everything is just so beautiful with the beautiful twinkly lights, fresh pine and glowing bulbs.

Since we were busy moving and preparing all the details for our wedding in Ireland, my mom really took charge in putting everything together for us.  She did such a wonderful job!

I was against favors of any kind so instead, we printed off our engagement photos for guests to take.  This went over really well and everyone loved the idea.

The place cards were just so cool.  They were made out of different types of scrapbooking paper [completely inexpensive yet a big impact!]  We were able to coordinate designs with menu options so the servers would know which entree to serve.

I loved the collection of our old family photos. This was a great conversation piece and meant a lot to us.  We included both of our families. It’s sweet to think that one day we’ll be part of that collection.

Our centerpieces consisted of gold chargers, pillar candles and gold and cream Christmas bulbs and fresh pine.  They were so easy to put together.  I am a huge advocate of candles at weddings.  The best part however was the fresh pine that my dad hand cut the morning of our wedding.

Lastly, my beloved cake! I’m a cake girl, that’s for sure.  More importantly, I’m a “Hermitage Bakery” girl.  Hermitage Bakery is a local bakery with the absolute best cake.  I was a little sad at first when I thought I wouldn’t be able to have Hermitage Bakery cake at my wedding but when we decided to have a reception in Pennsylvania, they were first on our list to call. We used the cake topper that both my mom and grandmother used at their wedding.

When you step back and look at everything, you see that it’s just “stuff.”  But when you really look at it, you see the family connections (my dad picking the pine, my grandmother offering her cake topper, my mom making the place cards…) Those are the moments that “stuff” turns into special somethings.  It gives it meaning.

Next week, more about cake and our family!

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Filed under Cake, Celebrations, DIY, Elizabeth Anne Designs Features, Life, Real Wedding, Winter

Sunday Sweets! Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

****I’m trying an experiment with my blog and tumblr.  Hope over to Peaches by Plums and let me know what you think!***

Let me say it again…HOT-FUDGE-PUDDING-CAKE. Did it sink in yet?

That is everything I am about.  Nook & Pantry really took chocolate to the next level with this recipe.

via Nook & Pantry

Now go get sugared up!

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Filed under Cake, Sweets

“Just Married” in Pennslyvania!

Here’s a sneak peek from when we eloped in Pennsylvania over the holidays!

Yes, I know we didn’t technically elope but it sounds so exciting!

We had such a fabulous time.  It was especially special that my family were able to share in our special day.

More of our winter wedding in the coming weeks!

via Personal Collection

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Filed under Cake, Celebrations, Elizabeth Anne Designs Features, Life, Photography, Real Wedding, Wedding Cake, Winter

Sunday Sweets! Chocolate Peppermint Molten Cakes

I’m not a peppermint fan but I love how festive these little candies make this cake!

via Sprouted Kitchen

P.S. It’s a very big day for us today! Pictures to follow.

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Filed under Cake, Sweets

Sundy Sweets! Chocolate Overload

via Whisk Kid

My mouth just waters when I see this cake! Just take a look at how the chocolate ganache eagerly meets the bold buttercream and voluptuous cake.  Visit Whisk Kid to hear the story behind this glorious creation.

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Filed under Cake, Sweets

HELLO…Hot Pink!

via Fine Living {source}

Look at that thing shine! What an amazingly bright pink cake!

This is one dessert that I will be making very very soon.  It’s so fun and childlike.

For a step by step recipe on how to make this hot mama cake, click here.

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Filed under Cake, Great Finds, Sweets

Vintage Cake Toppers & Incorporating Family History

You know how I love the idea of multiple wedding cakes but add multiple vintage cake toppers and you have one amazing setup!

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via Project Wedding {source}

How lovely would it be to incorporate your families history by gathering everyone’s cake toppers and displaying it proudly on the beautiful cakes.

We haven’t decided if we will be having a wedding cake yet but I do know we will be displaying the cake topper that my mom, aunt and grandmother all used on their wedding cake.  It is incredibly beautiful!

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Anyone else incorporating a vintage flair and a bit of family history?

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Filed under Cake, Great Finds, Inspiration, Sweets, Vintage, Wedding Cake

Cool Cake Designs- Circles

With all of the excitement over at Sweet and Saucy Shop, I thought I’d share a great Cake tutorial by the lovely Melody Brandon.

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Step 1.) Make sure to get your cake to be a nice smooth finish and chill it slightly.  Melody suggests using royal icing or Swiss/Italian meringue butter cream.

Step 2.) Use a circle cookie cutter to make a mark in the center of the cake and repeat until the whole row is done. Continue making rows until the tier is covered. Melody says that you can pick any size circle you want, but she thinks she did around 1″. Then pipe along the circles. Chilling for 10-15 min after this point will help with the rest of the marking, so that the butter cream circles won’t be pulled off.

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Step 3.) Take the circle cutter and mark it in the center of the intersecting circles…see photo below! The circles aren’t perfect, but when you are done with the pattern you can’t tell at all!

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Step 4) Pipe the next circles and pipe dots where the lines intersect.

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Step 5) Top it off! Melody put a simple bouquet of white tulips on top of the cake and used a cute cake stand to elevate it!

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all images via Weddingbee {source}

I LOVE the design of this cake.  It is simple, beautiful but unique.  I think that I could even pull this off!

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Filed under Cake, Design, DIY, Great Finds

Sunday Sweets!

Oh how I wish I lived in Washington!

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Today’s Sunday Sweets was brought to you from Swanky Tables via Truly Scrumptious

Anyway ever watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? 🙂

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Filed under Cake, Cupcakes, Great Finds, Sweets