There’s so much to love about this chocolate cake recipe, because it’s the best: You need only one bowl and a handful of simple ingredients to get delicious results. But here’s the real selling point: The deep chocolate taste and texture is NOTHING like what you get in a box mix. It’s the best. That’s…
The Most Colorful Cake Ever (Inside and Out!)
Making this colorful layer cake is not hard. But let’s just say that I watched 3 episodes of The Crown while making it. The results are adorable and the technique nearly foolproof, so if you have a few hours (and a hot British import on demand), I say go for it! How to make this…
Low-Sugar Hummingbird Cake
It’s already been a year! We celebrated Violet Agnes’ first birthday in exactly the way you’d expect. With balloons, grandma visiting from the West coast and of course, a low-sugar birthday cake. This one is our version of a “hummingbird cake”, which Wikipedia calls “a banana pineapple spice cake common in the Southern United States”. My mom…
flourless black bean chocolate cake. yep. We
I HAVE A LIST OF TOP 5 FOODS. In fact, on one of our first dates, I asked Paul about his. With a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look, he shrugged and explained that he didn’t have such a list (he politely left out saying anything like “because I’m not 9”). No matter. Mine, I announced, were:…
rainbow spa birthday party ideas for girls: happy 5th birthday, elle!
ELLE IS A “VERY GIRLIE GIRL”, says her mom Amber, who blogs at Cakepops and Squats. By the looks of this amazing 5th birthday party, I’d say Elle is a very lucky girl, too! Here’s how Amber pulled off a rainbow spa themed party for five. It’s an admittedly sugar-filled affair but what we love…
dinosaur themed birthday party ideas: henry turns 3 with a dino dig!
IT’S A LUCKY LITTLE BIRTHDAY BOY whose mom is an event planner. When Henry turned three, Sara (of Sara’s Soirees in Seattle) pulled out all the stops for her dino-loving little guy, starting with the invitations. “Each child was mailed or hand delivered a small green plastic shovel with a tag tied to it that…
tea for three: a tea party birthday for phoebe
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A LOLLIPOP CAKE, everything was purple and lavender. Heavily influenced by a certain Fancy Nancy, Phoebe’s third birthday party was a color coordinated, albeit small affair. Since she’s expecting a baby brother any day now, we celebrated Phoebe’s special day a little early with a tea party for three. Along with…
Apple cake pops for Teacher Appreciation Day
TALK ABOUT MAKING FOOD FUN! My friend Amber emailed these amazing cake pops that she made for Teacher Appreciation Day. Besides being so cute I can hardly stand it, they’re filled with…OREO truffles.
Low-sugar banana cake, a David Lebovitz recipe makeover
THE ORIGINAL VERSION, Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candy Peanuts, looks so amazing that I was tempted to bake the whole thing twice. And I still might. But for now, behold the oatmealy goodness that is the kiddy version of David Lebovitz’s prize-winning banana cake. (And you’d better do it quick because it’s…
Better-for-you Valentine’s Day cupcakes from a mix (chickpea variation)
YOU DON’T EAT THEM EVERY DAY so why mess with a good thing? Because in our house we’re dealing with babies. And toddlers. And neither one is a pretty sight in the company of too much sugar. Actually, Estelle hasn’t really had sugar yet and Phoebe talks a good game but after a few bites…
Healthier cupcakes from a mix and chocolate butter cream frosting (Happy birthday Estelle!)
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY ESTELLE! We took it easy this year (certain people are very tired because somone keeps waking up every night “complaining” about new teeth coming in) but still had a blast for Estelle’s big day. A family celebration, complete with wheat germy cupcakes (plus secret ingredients: applesauce and carrots) and homemade butter cream…
Fresh ginger cake, a David Lebovitz recipe makeover
I MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY EATEN a whole cake this weekend. Yes, Phoebe helped and so did Estelle but really, it was my determination that got it done.
a Halloween party menu plus healthier Halloween cupcakes
DESPERATE FOR A LITTLE TRICK-OR-TREATING, we hosted our own Halloween party for ex-pats this weekend. The result: 13 kids, 15 adults and countless cupcakes. Costumes for the Mathews crew included one garden gnome (and if you’ve never heard a 2-year old try to say “gnome” I highly recommend it) and one flower. Monster Mash played…
a garden birthday party with low sugar “dirt cups”: happy 2nd birthday phoebe!
THE DIRT CUPS WERE a process. For Phoebe’s second birthday I set out to create a garden party in Villa Ada, Rome’s largest park. And the star of the show, other than the birthday girl’s pretty fabulous tutu, was the “dirt cups”, aka, brownies and pudding mixed together in tiny terra cotta pots with worms,…