Tomiko’s birthday is in early July, and since the whole family was working and busy on the actual day, we put off having the cake until the following weekend. I have made my own birthday cakes since I was 13, and I love making my family’s birthday cakes as well! They don’t seem to […]
fruit
Scented Rhubarb Fool
Fools are old-fashioned British desserts made from a sweet fruit puree stirred through custard or whipped cream. This simpler cousin of the trifle was mentioned as far back as the 1500s. Traditionally gooseberries are used, so a similarly sour fruit like rhubarb makes a great variation. Serve the fool in glass bowls if you have them, for […]
Ruby Red Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble
Rhubarb is a sour, pinkish green spring vegetable that cooks down into a delicious pink or red compote. It used to grow in our mother’s garden when we were kids, and we couldn’t resist taking a bite of the puckeringly sour stalks (just stay away from the leaves, which are poisonous). Once June rolls around, we […]
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla Sauce
A delicious old-fashioned cake perfect for a picnic! I brought this to a Sail Past feast a few years ago, and it was a hit. It’s from Susan Branch’s Sweets to the Sweet: A Keepsake Book from the Heart of the Home, so follow her advice and serve it with a silky smooth sauce. Often […]
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Tomiko and I agreed to bake some treats for our friend’s Earth Day fundraising bake sale, so this was my contribution! I made these Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe. The small amount of cocoa surprisingly makes a big impact in these moist muffins. If you make a batch for […]