Caramel Apple Snack Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes for several reasons: 

1) It's easy. Really easy.

2) The recipe is so weird. I like weird.

3) It is actually quite healthy (comparatively, anyway)

4) Most importantly, it's SOOOO delicious!

I could eat this whole cake in one sitting.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I have eaten about half of it in one sitting before.

No judging.

But seriously, this cake is fabulous, and I don't feel at all bad about eating it because it's mostly just apples and whole wheat flour (okay, and a little sugar). It's perfect for autumn, but I'll take it any time of the year!

Fudge Frosting

A quick post today for a quick but delicious frosting recipe. This is easy to make in a single saucepan, simple to whip up, and delectable enough for company - or just for yourself and a spoon!

I'm going to go ahead and warn you right now: this is evil frosting. It's made with lots of butter and sugar and chocolate, and it practically begs to be eaten right out of the pot. That's okay with me. That's VERY okay with me. But if it's not okay with you, you might want to check out a different post. A healthy post. Like tofu. Or soup.

A Long Delay and Cheater Cake

 

Let me begin by saying that I am woefully ashamed of myself. I haven't posted anything to Birds & Brownies for nearly 6 months, and to anyone who actually reads this blog, I'm very, very sorry. Life is a little crazy! I've been applying to grad schools, trying to get through senior year, navigating some choppy seas in the relationship department... it's been a wild ride. 

Baking and birdwatching have been a little low on the priority list lately. But life is calming down a little and I'm starting to get the itch to make some delicious food again! Being at school, opportunities to cook - and available ingredients - are a little thin, but I've been trying to get back into the swing of things. I found the perfect excuse to bake a cake the other day when I decided the cast of the play I'm currently in, Vinegar Tom, needed a pick-me-up after a grueling week of rehearsal. What's better to lift spirits than a sunny lemon cake?

Pound Cake

This week, I was given the all-important job of taking care of the "boys" - my wonderful brother and father. With my mother at work an hour away, and my sister already back at college - I don't return for another week! - it was I alone who was left to feed the army.

And let me tell you, my teenage brother alone eats as much as an army. Maybe more!

So when it came to deciding upon a dessert that would last them more than a day and a half - no small feat, considering my brother's appetite - the choice was simple: pound cake. That glorious concoction of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. Lots of butter and eggs.

A Birthday Bird and Buttercream Frosting

I couldn't resist posting a picture of this adorable birthday cake that my mom and sister decorated for my birthday party a few weeks ago. I actually baked the cake, but they wouldn't let me decorate it myself. Even after more than 20 years, they still insist on decorating and surprising me with a cake every year - and I really don't mind at all. What can I say, I like cake! :)

Also, in case you were curious, "Didi" is a family nickname; it's what I used to call myself when I was very young.

Even though I don't have any more pictures, I'll give you the recipe for our delectable buttercream. I've tried several different recipes, and this one always takes the cake (pun intended!). One recipe is just about right to frost a double-layer 9 inch cake, but if you want to do a lot of decorating you might want to make 1 1/2 or 2 batches.