Isn’t this just the nicest looking yellow cake?

Close/fine texture, yet still moist; high-rising, not crumbly… and the crown of chocolate doesn’t hurt, either!

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Shhh, come closer. I have a secret to share…

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Unless you’ve been on a protracted trip to the Arctic (along with Prince Harry), you probably know by now that Wills and Kate are getting married on April 29.

And, if you don’t know who Wills and Kate are – I can’t help you. I suggest People magazine as the best way to get current with the popular media’s favorite subject these days.

And why not? Between devastating meteorological disasters (to say nothing of national disasters – how about that federal debt limit?), it’s time for something a bit less… well, serious.

News Lite.

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OK, I’m about to confess a deep, dark secret.

I’m married to an Italian, and have been making Italian food for 35 years. I’ve also been baking for well over 35 years.

And in all those years, I’ve only ever found one Italian cake, cookie, pie, or other baked sweet I’m really fond of:

Biscotti.

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Remember the good laugh we had over “grownup” food in our recent bread pudding post? Foods that, when you were younger, only grown-ups ate; and we kids couldn’t for the life of us figure out why?

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The Tunbridge World's Fair in Vermont at dusk

If you want to really get a feel for the creative cooking energy on the ground in America, get yourself to one of the many state or regional fairs across the country. If you care about good food, there’s no better place to make a connection to where it comes from and how it’s produced. (more…)

When it’s time for a cake to put on its party clothes, only one frosting will do: buttercream.

For those who lust for the silky, smooth, pipeable and luscious texture of great bakery frosting, there’s simply no substitute for this magnificent emulsion of eggs, butter and sugar. Let’s face it, buttercream is dead sexy. It belongs on any list of foods of love; there’s a reason no wedding cake should be without it! (more…)

For many of us, holidays and celebrations just aren’t complete without chocolate cake. For many years I made a version of the King Arthur Favorite Fudge Cake for most occasions, and we were all very happy.

When researching traditional holiday foods for our holiday traditions series, I came upon this Sacher Torte, and our holiday tables will be forever changed.

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It’s that time of year again: the holiday season, those four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas when peppermint joins chocolate center stage.

At heart, I’m a chocolate traditionalist. Not for me chocolate/orange, chocolate/raspberry, or chocolate/any other fruit combo, thanks very much. I’ll take my chocolate dark and plain.

OK, I do make exceptions. Chocolate-dipped strawberries… plump dried apricots half-coated in dark chocolate… even chocolate cherry cordials, with their sticky liquid dripping off your fingers – all good.

And chocolate/coffee – more than good. Exquisite.

But chocolate cake with Grand Marnier frosting? No thanks.

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You arrive home after work or play, and see tempting home-baked goodies in the kitchen. You can’t help but blurt out, “Is that for us, or is it going somewhere?”

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