The Chinese celebrate with cake as well!
Flying out to Phuket, Thailand from Beijing, China we use Air China as airline.
We found out that the flight we were on actually was Air China’s first-ever flight on that route from Beijing to Phuket.
Half-way through the flight the stewardesses invited us to celebrate this occasion with them. For that they brought out a nice cake, a big fruit platter, and some drinks. Unfortunately, I couldn’t snap a picture before the cake was cut.
I also didn’t try it as I was still recovering from an upset stomach at that time. But it looked like a layered yellow cake filled and structure iced with white icing.
Decorations included pink icing flowers, Kiwi fruit slices, and chocolate sprinkles on the sides.
As a passionate cake baker it was delighting to see cake being a big part of celebrations here, half-way around the world as well.
Strawberry Creme Oreos in China
On our travel to Thailand we had an unplanned extended layover in Beijing, China.
While the airline looked after accommodation and food for us, on our last day the hotel was so busy with 2 weddings and several meetings that nothing worked as the days before.
We could not figure out where we could get breakfast. The few staff that could speak English didn’t do so very well. To be honest, after two days of rice porridge, warm cabbage, and steamed wheat squares in gravy for breakfast we didn’t crave it much for a third day.
This is what we resorted to: We waited until the little shop in the lobby opened and got ourselves these Chinese Strawberry Creme Oreos.
Now, how is that for a nutritious breakfast? Grain product, dairy and fruit – sounds like a balanced diet to me 
Lady Baltimore Cake Recipe
Have you ever heard of Lady Baltimore Cake?
I hadn’t until I came across the recipe on Martha Stewart’s website.
Even if you already know how to make Lady Baltimore cake, it is totally worth checking out the video with Martha and Amy Sedaris making this classic cake. The two are hilarious and Amy is the hoot.
Following are the pictures of my first try of a Lady Baltimore cake.
I started out with two layers of white cake according to this recipe:
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
4 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
1 1/3 cups milk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
6 large egg whites
For directions please go here.
The frosting and filling starts out with what many know as 7-minute frosting. For the exact recipe and directions go here.
For the filling, Martha suggests to put aside one-third of the frosting, but for me one-quarter would have been sufficient.
Additionally, to the suggested soaked raisins, and chopped walnuts and dried figs, I also chopped up 1/4 c. of dried cranberries for some tartness.
Mixing all the goodies with part of the frosting will look something like this. Sorry for the blurry picture.
Level your cake layers, fill with the fruit and nut frosting, and ice with the remaining egg white frosting. It doesn’t have to be to neatly as it looks really nice to just make a pattern with a spatula or spoon.
My finished Lady Baltimore cake did not have the most aesthetic appeal as I was in a big hurry to get to my dad’s birthday party. But the taste was great, and very different from your standard flavors.
I did not regret venturing out of my “cake comfort-zone” to try this cake with an elegant name.
Farm Animals Wedding Cupcake Tower
This was by far the most unusual request I have received for a wedding cupcake tower.
The couple was getting married in a beautiful outdoor wedding on their own acreage. They requested to include many elements of their farm life into the cupcake decorations.
The animals that can be found on their farm and also made from fondant on the cupcakes are donkeys, fish, frogs, chickens, a cat, and their German Shepherd.
They are also growing tomatoes and peas in their own garden which can also be found on the cupcakes.
For the topper cake the bride had the humorous idea to include a scene also occurring on their farm of a coyote stealing away a chicken.
This scene definitely received the most comments from the guests who saw me set up the cupcake tower.
As the bride and part of the wedding party were vegan half of the cupcakes were entirely vegan including the fondant decorations.
Cupcakes flavors included vanilla with vanilla buttercream, and chocolate with chocolate buttercream. The topper cake was chocolate with raspberry fruit filling and pale green vanilla buttercream.
Motocross Wedding Cake Topper
For a wedding a few months ago I was asked to create this customized wedding cake topper which includes the couple’s love for motocross.
The bride and groom made from gumpaste are sitting on two miniature dirt bikes that the brother of bride provided.
He painted them to look like the couple’s actual bikes.
Whole Wheat Raisin Spice Nut Muffin Recipe
This title is a whole mouthful but definitely describes these muffins.
In the weeks leading up to our year-long traveling trip to Thailand and Southeast Asia I was constantly looking for recipes to use up most of the staple foods in our pantry.
These muffins are the result of a whole wheat oatmeal muffin recipe I came across and modified to make it more interesting and to include more items from my pantry.
This recipe is very simple to modify to your taste and pantry contents.
I used:
Combine the sugar, milk, oil, and egg in a large bowl. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients only until just combined. Add oats, ground nuts, and fruit/nut/chocolate mix and combine.
Line or grease a muffin pan and fill cavities half full with the batter. Makes about 12 muffins.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes.
I very much enjoyed these muffins for breakfast warmed and buttered.
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