Recently, I acquired a copy of Love Bake Nourish by New Zealand baker Amber Rose. The pictures in the book are swoon-worthy, and I like the fact that she uses alternative flours, including spelt, polenta and nut meals.I wanted to whip up something quick to take to work this week, so I chose Amber's Lemon, Lavender and Honey Cake. The recipe is online here.I loved the dense, moist, crunchy qualities of this cake, and that both the citrus and lavender tastes both came through clearly in the final bake. Here's a slice to give you a peek inside:This is one delicious cake, and I am looking forward to trying some more of Amber's creations in the near future.
On Wednesday, it was my friend Steve's birthday. I like to make him cake every year, and this year, instead of one large cake, I made cupcakes.I have the Sprinkle Bakes cookbook, and used it for the first time to make Steve these Triple Salted Caramel Cupcakes. You can find the recipe online here, but the book is a good one if you want to invest, as it shows you how to make the mundane quite stunning.Here is a snapshot inside of one of the cupcakes - this was one of the ones that didn't make the cut, but you get the idea of the caramel cake plus caramel sauce plus caramel icing:I didn't make the halos - they look fairly easy, but when you are baking at night after work and trying to watch TV and get ready for bed, you need to draw the line somewhere. I just used sparkly gold stars instead.Happy birthday Stevie!
