Desert Desserts

My second entry for the Nordicware bundt cake contest: Sweet Sedona is a white cake with a butterscotch pudding swirl, to create and reddish-orange earthy tone. In lieu of frosting, the moist cake is instead dusted with cocoa powder, cardamom and cinnamon, and then...

Viva Mayo!*

April has come and gone in a whirl of activity. My work has consumed me this month. When I haven’t been behind the computer at my desk, I’ve been editing my book on the home laptop. The good days had a bit of domesticity here and there. It’s been a...

A Dash of Stress, a Cup of Change

So, I lied. I couldn’t take a break from baking, like I promised. I suppose grinding it out in my kitchen is just part of who I am these days. I truly take delight in going through my cookbooks and shelves and whipping up sweets that are different and pungent...

But baby, it was in self-defense!

Do you have a type of music, or perhaps a band, that immediately lifts your mood? It’s Bob Marley for me. I just can’t seem to frown when I’ve got Bob on the iPod. I daydream of being on the beach in the Caribbean, with the waves crashing nearby and...

Bundt Bake-Off: Sonoran Cornbread

Many of you commented on what I should do to make a bundt cake representative of Arizona for that contest I’m entering. Thank you! After reading the NordicWare web site, I see one of the requirements for entry is — of course — baking in their pans. I...

Who Wants a Bake-Off?

I read this in the morning paper: “The Bundt cake, the one with the hole in it, is an American icon. And simple to create: remove from the oven, invert on a plate, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze and serve. If you’ve got magic in the batter...