{Pistachio Cake} with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Cake. Pistachio. Chocolate. That’s it really. I don’t think I need to write anything more on the subject. It’s obviously going to be awesome on the basis of those 3 words alone. But if you need more, imagine crumbly soft pistachio cake sandwiched between a layer of milk chocolate frosting and more frosting on top. Or is it creamy frosting sandwiched between 2 crumbly layers of pistachio cake with frosting on top? Whichever you decide, it’s bloody gorgeous. I gave Christoph a choice of a few cakes and he chose this one. What can I say? He is a man of taste. Obviously.

Banana & Poppy Seed Cupcakes with Mascarpone and Coconut Frosting

Guys, I mean seriously, I think this is one of the best thing I’ve ever made. Honestly. These cupcakes don’t look like much but they are incredible. This is not your ordinary banana cupcake. It’s the mother of all banana cupcakes. A bold claim I know, but what the hell, I’m sticking with it! And this from someone that is not even that much into cupcakes.

I am not one to blow my own trumpet, at least not this much :P, but I feel no guilt whatsoever in doing so for these. Everything about it is awesome: the banana flavour making them super moist, the poppy seeds adding that little crunch and texture, the mascarpone making the frosting creamy but light and not too sweet and the coconut -both the cream and the toasted flakes -giving them freshness and combining beautifully with the bananas.

Now, if after this description you don’t want to dive into them, then I think there is something wrong with you. Nah I’m kidding…but really…

All good banana loaf stories start with some over-ripe bananas. This story is no different. It started with some very over-ripe bananas, a craving for coconut and a pack of poppy seeds forgotten at the back of the cupboard.

{Chocolate Cake} with Frangelico & Chocolate Frosting

Man oh man, talk about indulgence. First of all let me just say that I had not planned on making a chocolate cake, let alone one that has frosting on top that is nearly as thick as one of the layers. And layers! Definitely didn’t think about making anything with layers. I love it when non-plans come together!

When I saw this awesome recipe in one of my favourite blogs, I just couldn’t resist. I needed cake. I mean neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeded it. Ok, fair enough that it feels like I need cake pretty much all the time but the week at work felt like it was never going to end. You know what I mean? One of those weeks. Add to that a few sleepless nights…you get the picture.

So I thought, alright let’s make a nice and chocolatey cake with frosting on top. That would cheer me up. I mean chocolate, right? But then I was like, wait a minute! If I am going to make this I may as well go all out. Double everything up? 2 cakes? Stack them? Tons of icing? Now we’re talking. Wait, what? Add some Frangelico? Oh my goodness yes!