Baklava Cupcake

Last week I went Madison's one and only place dedicated to cupcakes - Daisy Cafe and Cakecupery- for the first time. It opened 2 years ago, but because it was on the other side of town, I didn't really get to it. But now, I go to school on the other side of town, so I dropped by to see how the cupcakes measured up.

This baklava cupcake was pretty good. I was leaning toward a mocha one, but decided to try something unusual. I think it was the sprinkled pistachios that hooked me. When you bite into the cupcake, you reach a really yummy layer of honey-pistachio filling. I only wish the cake of the cupcake was better. It was dry and seemed like it was made from a box. I'd still give the cupcake a B, and would come back to see what else they come up with and also to try their breakfast.

Epic Lava Cake

My birthday was yesterday, so of course, I made a birthday cake. One of the blogs I adore is Smitten Kitchen, and it has a wealth of cake recipes. I fell in love with the picture of the chocolate peanut butter cake. My cake didn't turn out as pretty, but it was certainly fun to make. This cake is the moistest I've ever had because it includes sour cream, oil, water, and eggs. I was lucky enough to have some fresh duck eggs this time, again from another co-worker of my husband.

I do have to put a warning on this cake. It is the heaviest piece of cake you'll ever eat too. I could barely finish a small piece of it, which is not normal for me. The recipe can be found here.

Cream Puffs with Chocolate Whipped Cream

Cream puffs to me are state fair food. Back when my family used to go to the fair, we all had to have one, every year. And being the Dairy State, they were oh so good. So I was really hoping that my first batch would be just as great as those I'd had in my childhood.

As I went through the pâte à choux recipe in TSOB (the cream puff dough), I was a bit doubtful that the mashed potato-looking dough in the pan would come out of the oven as a light, airy biscuit.

But they turned out perfect. Aesthetically, not so much, but man were they good! Now I can make eclairs, profiteroles, etc. But next, I'm going to move on to a fried version and try to make a chocolate banana beignet!