It’s the last day of 2011. This year I started a blog (!!) and met all of you– what a fun year!
Easybaked began in March at the urging of many friends…. since then I have become a fan of many of your blogs and marveled at your creative recipes, beautiful photos and funny stories.
It is also my birthday this week, and in pursuit of the perfect birthday dessert I decided to take a trip down memory lane through some of my favorite recipes, photos and blogs this year.
Here we go: my best from 2012:
Greg from Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide has encouraged me from almost day one of starting this blog- although we’ve never met, its been fun to share blogs! Here’s one of his posts that I tried and loved: Butterfinger Cookies!
Aimee from Clever Muffin cracks me up! When I met her she was living in London (so cool) and now she has moved back to Australia (even cooler!) Her yummy muffin recipes are great- but her sense of humor is even better– this is a blog worth following for sure!! Here’s her Chocolate Chip Yogurt Muffins:
Christine from Angry Cherry is from Canada– and she’s a pastry chef in training (jealous!) she makes beautiful things with ingredients I’ve never heard of, but I love how adventurous she is in pursuing her dreams. Red Wine Truffle Cake from her:
Since I’m addicted to photography these days, I am drawn to blogs with jaw-dropping photography. My favorite is Bravetart (plus, WHAT a fun name!) The recipes are from Stella, a pastry chef and the photography is done by a variety of friends who are professional food photographers (dream…..!) I just stare at the photographs and try to understand the angles and lighting….I really need to take a class. In any case, here is her version of Red Velvet Cake (please come to my house and make this for my birthday….!)
My favorite cake decorators are the Davis sisters (and mom). They have taken a hobby and turned it into a serious business and FUN blog- Happily Ever After Cakes!! I am amazed by how many different types of cakes and cupcakes they are willing to try. Here’s one of my favorites (I want to live on this cake!) a day at the beach (yes…this is a CAKE!)
I’m sneaking a favorite non-food blog into the lineup: this blog is one of my favorite sources of inspiration and encouragement. A good friend of mine is a chaplain with the military. He’s deployed right now and shares his thoughts on a blog called Devos by Chaps….love it!
Last, but certainly not least is the cake I would choose to have on my birthday if someone else would make it…Its from The Art of Dessert and I think the picture speaks for itself…wow. Let me present: Chocolate Wasted Cake:
so….birthday cake….
I also went through the archive of all the recipes created on easybaked this year. The one recipe I couldn’t get out of my head (I think because I wish it was summer out!) was Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake. A summer cake for a cold January birthday— perfect! I tweaked the frosting recipe just a bit to make it thicker so that it would be more of a frosting than just a filling…and I LOVE it!! Its light, whipped, very spreadable and tart with lemon — perfect!
Here’s the recipe (tweaked) or if you want the original just click here.
INGREDIENTS:
- One box of strawberry cake mix (plus oil, water and eggs as directed on box)
- 2- 8oz. packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temp.)
- 1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid Lemonade
- Yellow food coloring (as desired for color)
- 1- 7oz. container Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
- 1/3 c. powdered sugar
- 8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
- Rainbow sugar crystals
DIRECTIONS:
- Make cake according to box and bake in 2- 9 inch round cake pans as directed. Turn finished cakes over on cake racks and allow to cool completely.
- Cream together cream cheese, lemonade and yellow food coloring until smooth.
- Beat marshmallow creme and powdered sugar in and then fold in Cool Whip until completely smooth.
- Cut each cake layer in half.
- Alternating layers of cake with layers of frosting, assemble cake.
- Cover top and sides with frosting.
- Refrigerate and serve chilled. Sprinkle with colored sugar just before serving.
A light and refreshing dessert after all the heavy holiday treats– perfect!
Thanks for sharing all of your fun recipes and stories with me this year— looking forward to sharing 2012 together!
Happy New Year!
Other favorite desserts on Easybaked~ just click the picture to get the recipe!
EASYBAKED 
You are the sweetest ever! And you’re blog is even sweeter (if that’s possible). This blogging world does introduce you to amazing people and I’m glad I’ve met you. Happy new year and looking forward to seeing more in 2012!
Wow not to go all faux modest on you but how did one of our desserts get on that list? Thanks for your kind words. We’re also big Clever Muffin fans and now we have some new blogs to look at. Happy New Year!
Thanks Greg! You guys are really making my 2012 wonderful! You’re blog is a big go-to for me 🙂
Oh my that Chocolate Wasted Cake is ridiculous. Happy Birthday twice and have a Happy New Year!
Congrats on being so successful with the beginning of your blog. It looks like you’ve made some great foodie relationships and your blog is great too! That chocolate wasted cake really does look like the ultimate dessert. If someone ever makes one for you maybe you can send half to me:)
Congratulations on your new blog! And I hope you have the best birthday ever!! Oh… and Happy New Year as well:)
Happy Birthday !!!!
Howdy Ruthanne, Can I put this cake on my KidsParties123.com recipe page with a link to you of course?
Of course Kit!
Thanks for all the New Year and Birthday wishes blogging friends! 🙂
Aw! That’s for the shout-out! I’m glad you really liked my chocolate truffle cake. 🙂
I really enjoy the accessibility of your recipes — you’re always baking close to the home and heart (with awesome photography, too).
Happy New Year! I can’t wait to see what you blog about in 2012.
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Wonderful recipes
Thank you so much!
My son has a 4th of July birthday-Hes requested I make this cake for him! Thanks for the easy recipe!
You’re so welcome– and a very happy birthday to your son!!
Thank you for this awesome recipe. I just made it for my daughter’s 2nd birthday. EVERYONE LOVED IT!!! I added my own secret ingredients but you still get all of the credit. Thanks.
Lol– now I’m curious….”secret ingredients” always intrigue me! Glad it was a hit! 🙂
Hi was just looking at the recipe and was wondering what kool aid lemonade and jed puffed marshmallow is, im from south wales in the uk and i have never heard of them before and i would love to have a go at making this incredible cake x
I have thought a long while about your question and I’m afraid I can’t think of anything you could substitute for these ingredients. Kool-Aid lemonade is a powdered lemon-flavored drink mix (no sugar added), so you might have the equivalent of that. Marshmallow cream is marshmallows mashed together into a light fluffy cream. I found a video that explains how to make it yourself– see if this helps: Marshmallow fluff video
Kool aid is a powdered mix in a little packet that’s used to make juice. They come in a variety of different flavors and all you do is add water and sugar. Jet puff is like creamy marshmallows in a jar or container. It’s sweet and fluffy.
I hope this helps
My icing is super runny – anyone else with the same issue? I’ve added more powdered sugar but there’s still no way it will stay on the cake
I’m so sad it didn’t turn out for you…! I actually don’t have any tips because this frosting recipe has always worked for me perfectly– and there aren’t any crazy ingredients or techniques you might have gone astray on…? I’m at a loss…. The only thing I can think of is if you used like the fat-free Cool Whip? That might change the consistency and make it more runny….?
Well, I bought sugar-free CoolWhip – let’s see if it works. Wish me luck!
Oh let us know if it does work for you! I’m thinking it might make the frosting too runny…but I hope I’m wrong! Let us know!! Good Luck!
Did the sugar-free Cool whip work?
We never heard back, did we? If you experiment with it, let us know!! 🙂
I just used sugar free cool whip and no problem. It works. Thanks for great recipe. Delish!
Thanks for letting us know how it worked for you!!! 🙂
I made your beautiful Strawberry Lemonade birthday cake this weekend. I was super-duper gigantic excited about how pretty it was after I put the sugar crystals on. I was gorgeous, just as in your pictures. BUT, I was so sad about an hour later when I saw the colored crystals “dripping” all over my cake I had put in the fridge. I don’t know whether it was the crystals I used or what, but it appears that refrigerating them made them bleed, and the prettiness of my beautiful cake was gone. BUT – here’s another huge BUT – when I served it the next day, it was delicious. This may be my new favorite cake recipe. Next time, though, I’ll wait to put the sugar crystals on right before serving. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh NO! That is the saddest thing ever! My sugar crystals didn’t bleed (that I remember!) I have used confetti sprinkles when I’ve made this recipe since. I will add a warning to the recipe so others think to add the sugar just before they serve it. Thanks for telling me! I love this cake too…soooooo much. In fact, it is BY FAR the most popular post on this entire blog. Considering how much I love chocolate, its amazing that I like this cake so much. Thanks again for letting me know about the sugar!!!
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