Monkey Monday

I wanted to post Jakob’s birthday cake.  He LOVED it.  I always ask the boys what kind of cake they want for their birthday, and then do my best to make it just they way they want.  In December, Aiden asked for a PURPLE cake.  He didn’t care what flavor, shape, etc….he just wanted a purple cake.  LOL  Too funny.

Jakob was VERY specific this year about what he wanted.  Chocolate Layer cake, filled with strawberries, and white vanilla frosting.   Easy. 

So I used this recipe from Hershey’s.  It is super easy, and SO chocolaty and moist with a beautiful crumb.

He didn’t want frosting in the middle so I just “marinated” some sliced strawberries with some vanilla sugar for an hour or so and then put them in-between the two layers.

For his white vanilla frosting I did a vanilla buttercream.   And used an ENTIRE vanilla bean. (I get my vanilla beans HERE, but that is a whole other post).

It was IN-credible.  He loved it.  Just look at the smile on this face.

Happy Birthday Buddy….I hope you had a wonderful day and a delicious cake!

Love,
Mama

Bundt Cake Love

 

I love Greek yogurt.  I like to just eat it for breakfast, but I really love to bake with it.  It gives cakes and baked goods that tang that I love.  With Jason doing a 24 hour shift I decided that I needed to pass some time baking.  I wanted him to have something yummy to come home to and have for breakfast after his all-nighter.  So I made this….

Marbled Bundt Cake

I adapted a recipe from Baked.  And by the way….if you don’t own Baked…you need to buy it now.  And their second book just came out too – Baked Explorations (which I just got and need to start baking from!)

Marbled Bundt Cake

For the Chocolate Swirl

6 oz dark chocolate (I used 62% choc discs from Trader Joe’s)

1 tsp unsweetened dark cocoa

For the Cake

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into pieces

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

16 oz Greek yogurt – for that tang, I used Fage 0%

1 1/2 tsp vanilla – I also scraped the seeds from half of a vanilla bean

Make the Chocolate Swirl

In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate pieces. When he chocolate is completely melted, stir in the cocoa powder and whisk until completely incorporated.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350deg.  Spray the inside of a 10 inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Sift the flour, baking and soda powders, and salt together into a medium bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.  Add the sugar and cream the two together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add in the vanilla and vanilla bean (if using).

Add the Greek Yogurt and beat until just incorporated.  Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated.  Do NOT over mix.

Pour 1/3 of the cake batter into the chocolate swirl mixture.  Use a spatula to fold the batter into the chocolate.

Spread 1/2 of the remaining batter into the pan.  Dollop the chocolate batter on top of the vanilla batter.  Use a butter knife to swirl the chocolate and plain batter together.  Pour remaining vanilla batter on top of the chocolate layer and again swirl the layers together.  Smooth out the top.

Bake for about 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Bake until a knife comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 min.  Use a knife to loosen the edges and invert onto the wire rack.  Let cool completely (I couldn’t wait and cut it warm).

The cake is moist, the chocolate is deep and rich.  Perfect for breakfast with a  cup of good coffee and is great for dessert too!  (or an afternoon snack for hungry little boys)

Make it!

Wordless Wednesday

Birthday Boy…..and his cake.

Happy Birthday, Jakob!

 

Today Jakob is six years old.  Holy Smokes, we managed to keep him safe and sound (minus a few bumps and bruises) for six whole years.  That is an accomplishment.  Seriously, it is.

Last night I was trying to remember what I ate for dinner the night before Jakob was born, and I was sad that I couldn’t remember.  Probably not the most important thing to have to remember, not like his birth weight, the hours (minimal) of labour….etc.  Jason looked at me like I was crazy. Guess he didn’t think it was so important to remember either.

I cannot believe that this little babe is now six.

And that he is now this big.

I cannot wait to see what he will look like in another six years.  I wonder (probably too much) about what my boys will be like when they are older.  I should probably slow down and enjoy them as they are now instead of wondering what they will become.

Well….Happy Birthday Jakob!  We love you will all our hearts.

ps….this is one of my fav Jakob’s Birth pics.  It is Grandpa with Jakob in the hospital.  I miss him every day and know that if he was still with us, he and Jakob would be the best of friends.

Pie Love(r)

 

I adore a good piece of pie.  The flaky crust, the yummy filling….I am drooling.  I prefer a fruit filling, but am not one to turn down a cream, pumpkin or pecan pie.  

When doing some research a few months ago about all the places (mostly food related) that I wanted to visit in Seattle when we moved out West, I stumbled on High 5 Pie.

I knew that it would have to be one of the first places I check out.  So last week when I was in desperate need for a break from these crazy boys, I tweeted that I was heading to Seattle for some pie, and did anyone want to join me.  I was super excited when a new (and awesome) friend said that she would be in the city and would love to join me.  Yippee!  Pie and conversation….yes, please.

Libby and I decided to share a couple of slices so that we could, without huge guilt, try two slices out of their incredible looking selection.

Lemon Shaker

and Maple Blueberry

I have to say that I can’t decide which I enjoyed more….they are both delicious and so different from each other.  I had never heard of lemon shaker….but it is a candied lemon peel filling.  Tart, tangy and just a little sweet.  Perfection.  Loved that the Maple Blueberry was a one crust pie with a crumble topping…it was so great.  Had those tiny blueberries that just burst with juice when you bite them. It was so good that is what I chose to bring home to Jason.

So, if you are ever in Seattle, and want to go for some pie….this is the place.  And call me, I’ll join you for a slice!

 

Wordless Wednesday

I am kind of in love with the hipstamatic app on my NEW iPhone.

Root Beet Bundt Cake, Root Beer Chocolate Frosting…..and of course a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. 

THAT? That would be MY kid….

If you are ever at a restaurant in WA, and you see a small hippie running around with a haggard looking Mama following him to make sure he isn’t getting into TOO much trouble….THAT would be MY kid.

Traveling across the country and not being in a house of our own quite yet has shown us just how difficult it is for us to eat out as a family.  Every couple of days Jason and I decide to test things out and see if it is possible for our two boys to sit still long enough to have a meal at a restaurant that doesn’t have a drive thru….and then we are snapped back into reality with a scream, a tantrum, a refusal to eat….or a small child running around the restaurant instead of sitting in his seat.

Trying to balance the need for a good meal, the need to get out of the hotel, while not disturbing those around you is not easy.  It’s hard.  The boys have been cooped up, strapped in, and dragged around.  All they want to do when we stop is RUN.  I don’t blame them.  I understand.  But the little old couple and the judgmental couple with no kids sitting next to us don’t get it. 

So, if you happen to end up at a restaurant with us, and my boys are acting out….please understand.  I’m doing the best I can.  And am just trying to have a meal that doesn’t come in a paper bag.