A second attempt: Plum Upside-down Cakes with Lavender Rooibos Syrup

To start – this was the first time we tried this recipe.

The second attempt is to getting back in a blogging routine after a long hiatus. The longer I put it off, the harder it got, and the more I was quietly embarrassed that I gave up on this project. But I do want to get started again, so here we go!

These cakes are outstanding. They’re actually from two summers ago, and I made them with my friend Claudia. We made these lemon tarts together too.

Chocolate, Almond & Coconut Banana Bread

We’re back! I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging, due the mass amount of coursework I’ve had over the past month. Luckily for all of you, and for me, I’m done! It’s been a very intense 12-week summer school period, but now it’s time for baking and vacationing.

My friends and I have had a running tradition of cocktail nights for the past three years, and I’m usually the one hosting. This past week, gin was the order of the day, and we got together to mix G&Ts, gossip, and eat. Now, banana bread may not be an obvious pairing for gin, but damn if it isn’t a delish combination. The recipe is very summery because of the coconut flavour, and it’s loosely inspired by my banana ice cream sandwiches. Idea: if you made an ice cream sandwich with this banana bread and banana ice cream, that would be of of control. It would also be insanely good for breakfast as a french toast, à la Manx.

Easy, sweet and spicy vegan chocolate pudding

So… I’m on a cleanse. I know, I’m fighting not to eye-roll at myself, but hear me out!

Lately I’ve been getting into some bad food habits, getting lazy, and needing a change. Now I know myself, and I know that if I don’t have strict rules, I can’t stick to a diet or a new habit. If I need to eat healthier, I have to go cold turkey on all the bad stuff before I can start fresh. With that in mind, for the next two weeks (I’ve already done 1 week) I am eating a dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, and generally processed-food free diet.

Vanilla birthday cake with chocolate buttercream & raspberry coulis

I got to spend the weekend in the best way: lakeside, with my family, baking.

My Dad is a Valentine’s Day baby, so naturally birthday cake was the order of the day! I’ve made this wonderful vanilla cake once before, for my boyfriend Jack’s birthday, with a white chocolate frosting. It was really dense last time, so I went over the top in terms of creaming the butter and sugar for maximum fluffiness.

Being excessive worked: this cake is delicate and tender! The raspberry coulis was a last-minute addition to the dessert, and it added a nice acidic brightness to the creamy cake.