Cherry Almond Valentine Cake

There was a time when I hated Valentine's Day.

Back when I was young, single and had a Jennifer Aniston hairdo.

I was living 2000 miles away from home.

I hadn't had a date for a long time and was feeling lonely.

The holiday all about celebrating love just made me depressed.

So, I told my parents that I was going to wear a black armband and boycott on February 14.

When the dreaded holiday arrived, I received a bouquet of roses.

The card said they were from a secret admirer!

But I immediately knew they were from my Dad.

He tried to deny it at first, but finally admitted he had sent them.

He wanted to make me feel loved.

And he did!

I no longer think that Valentine's Day is just for romance.
It is a day to celebrate all the different kinds of love that make life wonderful!
Love for children, parents, siblings and friends...

Here is a Cherry Almond Valentine cake to make for someone you love.

This yummy maraschino cherry cake is topped with almond buttercream.
The cherry and almond flavors go perfectly together!
There are cherry chunks in the cake to make it extra special.

Maraschino Cherry Cake

adapted from Sprinkle Bakes

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 Tablespoons flour for sprinkling over diced cherries
• 10 oz. bottle of maraschino cherries, cut in eighths
• 4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of three 6 inch cake pans (or two 8 inch) with parchment paper. Grease the sides.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, combine the milk, cherry juice and almond extract. Alternate adding the dry and wet mixtures to the butter and sugar. Batter will be thick.
3. In a small bowl, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the diced cherries and stir until the flour has been completely absorbed. Stir cherries into the batter.
4. Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter.  Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.   Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Almond Buttercream

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 t. almond extract
• 1/2 c. milk (may use less)

Mix butter, sugar and almond extract on low speed in large mixing bowl. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Keep covered.

I decorated the top of the cake with a petal tip (Wilton #81 ). I also used Americolor gel paste in "Red Red" and " Deep Pink" to color the buttercream.

  

Enjoy!

 I share my recipes & tutorials at these fun link parties.

This post was featured!

Super Simple Chili Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe

I make this sauce at pho (Vietamese noodle soup) restaurants to eat with my pho and Vietnamese sandwiches. Hoisin sauce and chili paste are usually always available at the table at these restaurants. It is the best dipping sauce! The perfect mixture of spicy and sweet. I bought hoisin sauce and chili paste in the Asian section of my grocery store so Richard and I could eat it at home with roasted chicken and panko-crusted fried cod when we're in the mood for an Asian flair to our meal.

Super Simple Chili Hoisin Dipping Sauce Recipe

Hoisin Sauce
Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste

In a small bowl, mix 1 part hoisin sauce with 1 part chili paste until thoroughly combined. Goes great with chicken, fish, Mu Shu chicken or pork, egg rolls, or anything you want to add a spicy/sweet Asian flavor to.

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

So, I'm here to help you with your New Year's resolution.
You know...the one where you eat more cake in 2012.
You did make that resolution, right?
 Because, more cake = more happiness. :0)
(I think I should put that on a T-shirt.)

This scrumptious cake was inspired by my daughter, when she sang me this little ditty:  

A peanut sat on a railroad track,

His heart was all a-flutter.

The five-fifteen came rushing by--

Toot toot!

Peanut butter!

Which, of course, made me think of peanut butter frosting...

and how long it has been since I made some...

and how I love it so much that I could eat it by the spoonful...

which inspired me to make this cake.

Moist chocolate cake,
creamy peanut butter frosting,
chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups,
all covered with chocolate/peanut butter ganache...

It's like a party in your mouth!

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake 

by Bird On A Cake

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Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (OR 1 c. milk mixed with 1 T. vinegar)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter (softened)
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• approx. 1/3 cup milk

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of three 8 inch round cake pans with wax paper; grease the sides of the pans. Bring a small pan of water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer until combined.

Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Batter will be thin. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 18-22 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Peanut Butter Frosting

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar. When it starts to get thick, add the milk a little at a time until frosting is spreadable. (The amount of milk you use depends on the thickness of your peanut butter.) Beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

Place the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips and peanut butter. Let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly stir the mixture until all the chips have completely melted and it is thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla and corn syrup. Let the ganache cool if you prefer a thicker consistency.

Assembling your cake:

You need one 12 oz. bag of Reese's miniatures. Eat 2 peanut butter cups, save 12 to garnish the top of the cake, and chop up the rest. Level your cake layers and place one on a cake stand. Spread peanut butter frosting on the first cake layer, then sprinkle half of the chopped Reese's on top. Press them down into the frosting with your spatula. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place your third cake layer on top, then cover the whole cake with peanut butter frosting. Pour ganache on the top of the cake, and smooth it with a spatula. Garnish the cake top with your remaining 12 Reese's minis.

Powered by Recipage

This cake is very rich and so delicious...

Enjoy!

 I share my recipes & tutorials at these fun link parties.

Grass-fed Pot Roast w/ Red Wine, Herbs & Honey

I love Pot Roast, it's the perfect comfort food, yet elegant enough to serve to guests.  The red wine, onion and fresh herbs add a wonderful flavor to this roast.  Enjoy! 

Grass-fed Pot Roast w/ Red Wine, Herbs & Honey

Super easy to make and so delicious.  

Equipment: 9x13 Casserole Dish or Large Dutch Oven, Large Saucepan, Parchment Paper, Foil

Cook Time: About 2 1/2 hours

• 1 grass-fed bone-in chuck roast, about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
• 2 tablespoons pasture butter or fat of choice (See Resources)
• Celtic sea salt (See Resources)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle organic red wine
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 onion, peeled, halved, sliced
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled, lightly smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon kelp granules, optional (I use Maine Coast)
• 1 strip kombu, optional (See Resources)
• 1/2 cup homemade applesauce (2 apples), optional
• 2-3 cups water, broth or stock, enough to cover meat

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prep onion and herbs - wash herbs and shake dry; halve onion, peel and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Add to casserole dish and set aside. 

3. If you are making the optional homemade applesauce, prep food processor with metal blade.  Peel and quarter 2 apples.  Add apple pieces to food processor and pulse until apples become "applesauce", about 45 seconds-1 minute, scrape down sides during process if necessary.  Set aside.  

4. Melt fat of choice in large saucepan or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat, about 1 minute until the pan is hot.

5. Season meat with sea salt and freshly ground pepper (if you forget, you can do this once it's in the saucepan, I do this often). 

6. Add meat to saucepan.  Brown meat for about 5 minutes, until meat starts to get a golden brown crust.  

7. Flip meat and brown for another 5 minutes until golden brown.  

8. Remove meat from saucepan.  Set meat in casserole dish or on a plate if using a Dutch Oven.  Add garlic, kelp granules and kombu to the casserole dish.  

9. Lower stovetop to medium heat.  Add bottle of red wine to the pan making sure to scrape all of the meat drippings off of the bottom of the pan.  The red wine will help release the drippings when scraped with a wooden spatula.  The drippings have lots of flavor, so make sure to scrape them all off.

10. Add honey to the wine, stir to dissolve.  Add optional applesauce and stir to combine.  

11. Pour red wine over the meat in the casserole dish or Dutch Oven.  Add extra water/broth/stock, the meat should almost be covered with liquid.  

12. Cover meat with parchment paper, then cover with foil.  If you have a Dutch Oven, cover with lid.  

13. Bake the meat for 2 hours, turning the meat once at the 1 hour mark.

14. Remove parchment paper and foil or lid, flip meat again and cook uncovered for another 30-45 minutes until meat is fork-tender.  Check at 30 minutes, reset timer for another 15 minutes if needed.  

15. Serve with reduced sauce.  

Yield: Makes about 6 servings.  

Tip: This is even better the next day.  Can be made in advance if needed.  

Storage: Stores great in the refrigerator.  When ready to eat, scrape off the fat that solidifies at the top, pull off meat portions and heat.

Serving Suggestions: Reduce the sauce and serve with meat.  Once reduced, the sauce becomes thick and delicious.  Pairs well with Celery Root Mash or mashed potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Apples and Sauteed Kale w/ Pasture Butter. 

Looking for another version of Pot Roast?

Check out my Grass-fed Pot Roast w/ Apple Juice, Honey & Herbs recipe. 

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health, and Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist.  

New Year's Eve Cake Banner

Here is a cute and simple way to make a New Year's Eve cake...

Add a 2012 banner!

This was super easy and really dressed up this cake!

Another bonus was that I actually used some of my scrapbooking supplies
that I have been neglecting for about a decade...

What You Need:

Number stickers

Card stock circles in two sizes: 1 7/8 in. and 2 in.

Hole punch (rectangle shape)
Grosgrain ribbon

Wooden skewer

 Glue

  I attached my numbers to the smaller circles, which I then glued to the larger circles. I punched out 2 rectangle shapes at the top of each circle, and threaded my ribbon through. I cut my skewer in half, and tied the ribbon to the ends. To finish, I placed the skewers in the cake at an angle.

Happy New Year!

I linked up here:
 Tuesday To Do Party
Strut Your Stuff Link Party 
The 36th Avenue
Your Whims Wednesday 
I'm Lovin' It
Delicately Constructed Friday 
Once Upon A Weekend 
Weekend Wrap Up Party 

Christmas Wishes

Here is a Christmas wish from my family to yours.

We hope you have a beautiful Christmas,

filled with love, laughter and yummy treats! :0)

But most of all...
we hope your heart is filled with JOY
because of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is the best gift of all!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cupcake Carrier

I found this fabulous idea on Pinterest, and I just had to share it with you!

It is a cupcake carrier made out of a gift box...perfect for delivering my Christmas goodies.

I made a cupcake version of my Andes Mint Chocolate Cake.

 

First, get some boxes. I found a package of three small gift boxes for $1 at Dollar Tree!
On the top of your box, measure a 2 1/4 inch square for each cupcake and mark the corners with a pencil.
 

 

Use an Xacto knife to cut an X from corner to corner, and bend down each point. 
Decorate or write a message on your box.

 

Place your cupcakes in the carrier, and you are ready to deliver!

Hope you are having fun making lots of Christmas treats this week. :0)

 And speaking of Pinterest, don't you just love it?!
I added a button in the right column, so you can follow me there.
Go click on it!