November 2, 2023
It was time to bake a batch of cupcakes for a special girl’s 7th birthday. And because class sizes are so large, they had to be little itty bitties. So the perfection of VCTOTW‘s basic chocolate cupcake would do the trick. All done Just a small piping of vanilla buttercream Read more…
November 24, 2022
Well you know I have pumpkin puree in my fridge… so maybe you knew this was coming? More pumpkin goods. This layer cake would be dessert for Thanksgiving. Though my layers were a bit wonky (I didn’t measure and my floor is not level clearly), the contrast of orange and Read more…
November 23, 2022
And just like that, it is that time of year… the first frost, a final storing of the light jacket for more insulating outwear, kids with hat head at school, the sneaking melody of holly jolly subtly sandwiched in-between the in-between. And it is time to process Halloween’s pumpkins… because Read more…
November 24, 2021
I really enjoy traditional Thanksgiving dishes. So last minute, I decided I’d go hard for my family’s Thanksgiving get-together. For easy reference for years to come, the collected recipes of my most favorite vegan holiday eats. Process the Pumpkin Pumpkin Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare heavy-bottom casserole pans by filling Read more…
December 10, 2020
With a Christmas craft night planned, I decided to use a generous portion of my pumpkin puree. So a pumpkin chocolate chip loaf for the festive gathering! Every year I forget just how delicious VCTOTW‘s recipe is… While I was at it… and feeling fairly certain I’d see my students Read more…
November 25, 2019
A decade of teaching, a decade of turning the classroom pumpkin into cupcakes. These are my all-time favorite cupcakes to make. Maybe because my students are always skeptical about how the pumpkin on my desk can become a delicious cupcake. Maybe because most have learned of my being vegan by Read more…
October 27, 2019
{It’s My Party 🎉, Part 7} It ain’t over yet. Not until I have had a slice of my birthday cake… a Vegan S’mores Cake. After realizing that Pisces Rising, who made me a beautiful cake last year, had raised their prices, I decided that I would make my own cake Read more…
November 20, 2018
This is my 9th year teaching… and my 9th year transforming the classroom pumpkins in Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. I’m a creature of ritual. And this ritual starts with my enthusiasm for Autumn and… pumpkins. For home, for the classroom, for those worthy enough to give a pumpkin to. I’m Read more…
June 17, 2018
VCTOTW vanilla layers, coconut whip and strawberries… with a little lemon zest and one blackberry: This is what Dad wants. An oozy, creamy layer cake is what he gets. Happy Father’s Day!
June 16, 2018
Nothing gets me motivated to bake than a Bake Sale that benefits animals. Last time is was for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. This time… for with Mutt-i-grees. So I just had to go all out… First, S’mores cupcakes would mean a couple of batches of marshmallow fluff. I piped Read more…
May 13, 2018
When you’re late for the Mother’s Day soirée you best bring a sack of White Castle! Well, this may be my new go-to move. My family got to feast on the new Impossible Slider, now available in all New York and New Jersey White Castles. Oh, and I got to Read more…
March 3, 2018
Sometimes I make a double batch of cookies, then I make a batch of cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, then I make a lemon bundt cake (not pictured). Then, I bring them to my Mom for her birthday. Then I run the dishwasher. VCTOTW basic chocolate, of course. I tried to make Read more…
February 24, 2018
I had a craving for a marshmallow meringue-encased cake. Pretty specific, I know. But, a craving is a craving. So a marshmallow meringue-encased cake it will be! I made the s’mores cake from VCTOTW and a big batch of fluff. Then, getting fancy with some brulee action. Craving fulfilled.
December 20, 2017
I’m so vanilla. I’ll take it over chocolate any day. But vanilla buttercream can be easy to mess up. And many do. So here are some tips to create perfect fluffy buttercream. 1.) Use Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s buttercream recipe from VCTOTW. It’s tried and true, and there ain’t no need Read more…
June 26, 2016
This year’s Pride celebration coincided with cake duty for a very special colleague who will be moving on to a new job. He is also fiercest gay man I know. Naturally, I’d express myself through cake, signing up for dessert at the goodbye potluck. It’s a language I am pretty Read more…
May 8, 2016
I get my beautiful brown bangs from mom, as evident in this picture of my Mom and her twin brother on trike patrol. On her day, my mother requested a chocolate cake with vanilla icing. So that is what she got. I Read more…
November 22, 2015
Every year I take home the pumpkins in my classroom and turn them into cupcakes, highlighting the delicious circle of life. After baking the different pumpkin varieties until tender, I scoop out the flesh… …and blend away in the food processor. Ok, so I processed one of the pumpkins from the porch Read more…
October 31, 2015
Ever since I’ve made successful meringues, I’ve imagined this cake (with the help of various seasonal blog posts): bright white spooky ghosts rising from a chocolate ground. As it sometimes works out: In my head, it was much better than reality. The cake was a sure bet. Isa’s basic, springy Read more…
June 7, 2015
When it comes to serving vegan cupcakes to non-vegans, you have to capitalize on the opportunity–make a point about the delicious potential and non-weirdness of the v-word. To increase the appeal, go with well loved flavors–or even better, nostalgic flavors. And you may need to embrace both ends of the Read more…
May 11, 2014
Happy Mothers Day! By special Mom request, carrot cake! I guess my first time baking carrot cake was a success. When I asked my mom what kind of cake she wanted, carrot cake was the choice. All out of cupcake liners, I made a layer cake… which, unfortunately, decided it Read more…
April 24, 2014
Transitioning back to Eastern Standard Time, I got myself back into the kitchen… for a sense of normalcy. I whipped up two types of cupcakes for an Easter event. First, these gluten-free beauties, VCTOTW‘s recipe. With a huge bag of coconut from the Indian grocer, I opted to top these springy Read more…
May 12, 2013
It’s time to bake a cake for mom day! Here is my beautiful Mom holding a pint-sized me next to my sis. And here I am photobombing a very proper picture of my brothers and sister in their Easter best. This became a bit of a common occurrence as I would Read more…
May 6, 2013
I have never baked gluten-free before… but I like baking challenges! I decided to try out both a ‘from scratch’ recipe (from the tried and trusted VCTOTW) and Cherrybrook Kitchen‘s yellow cake mix. On the left, the Cherrybrook Kitchen’s mix. Batter was very sweet (the ingredients list both cane sugar Read more…
November 25, 2012
Autumn comes and goes fast. In an attempt to slow down the season already pushed into streetlamp snowflakes and Christmas music, let us eat its bounty and keep in mind that the about a Winter Solstice is a month away. Autumn Dins is here. Lite Noshes: What brings out a Read more…
October 21, 2012
I love vanilla cake. I love vanilla ice cream. I was a vanilla extract huffer when I was a little girl. In fact, vanilla, though slang for basic and boring these days, is, to me, far more exciting than chocolate. Chocolate is too easy. Vanilla’s subtle, nuanced flavor is a Read more…
September 2, 2012
ith summer on the outs, and a stock of Asian noodles to utilize, I wrapped up some end-of-summer rolls. Fresh, vibrant and with a variety crunchy textures, these see-through beauties have all the elements of a delicious summer snack. Inside: vermicelli, basil and mint from the backyard, cilantro, sliced English cucumber Read more…