Amy and Kevin's 25th Wedding Anniversary Chocolate Cake

I made one 9 inch cake for Amy and Kevin 2025 on their 25th wedding anniversary.

This cake is gluten free, keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week and can be frozen un-iced. Thanks Tristan for sharing your expertise on the difference between almond meal and almond flour.

For two thick 9 inch cakes you need the following for each one ( in other words the following twice if you want two cakes:

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

330 g butter (about 1 1/2 cups)

300 g dark chocolate

2 1/4 cups almond meal (I used almond flour)

9 eggs

For one thin 9 inch cake and one 6 inch cake you will need the following for each one.

1/2 cup cocoa powder

                                                  1/2 cup hot water                                                        

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

220 g butter ( about 1 cup)

200 g dark chocolate

1 1/2 cups almond meal (I used almond flour)

6 eggs

Preheat oven to 170 C/338 F. Grease cake tins and line the base with baking paper.
Put cocoa into a medium saucepan and slowly whisk in the hot water to form a smooth paste. Add sugar, butter and chocolate. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Stir in the almond meal and eggs. Pour into tin and bake for about 60-70 minutes for the two deep 22cm cakes, 50 minutes for thinner 22cm (9 in) cake, and 1 hour 20 minutes for 16cm (6 in) cake or until cooked when tested with a skewer. I baked the 9 inch cake for 1 1/2 hours to get the toothpick to come out clean but read elsewhere that flourless cakes can be taken out when the middle is still a bit jiggly otherwise they can be a bit dry.  Not sure if that applies to this cake.  The cake wasn't overly dry but I will try a bit less time in the oven next time. Cool cake in the tin, then remove, cover and refrigerate until needed. They can all be frozen at his stage if you are planning ahead. Cool, wrap in baking paper then cling film and freeze flat (on a tray is good). Defrost over night . 

Meringue Icing

1 1/4 cups berry sugar

1/3 cup water

6 egg whites

500 grams (1 lb) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, and slowly bring to the boil without stirring. You can swirl the pan slightly, but stirring it can cause sugar crystals to form, which you don’t want. Wash down any sugar crystals from the inside of the pan with a wet pastry brush. When the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Boil until soft ball stage on a sugar (candy) thermometer (116 C/240 F). If you don’t happen to have a sugar thermometer, simply drop a little syrup into a glass of cold water, and if it forms a soft sugary ball you’re good to go.

Beat the egg whites with a electric hand mixer in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Continue beating and pour in the sugar syrup in a steady stream into the egg whites. Beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture stops steaming.

Continue beating and add the butter, a few cubes at a time, until it's all incorporated. Beat for a further 15 minutes (the mixture will look curdled at first), then use a metal spoon to mix in the vanilla. Keep in a cool place (not in the fridge) until needed.

To ice I turned the cake upside down on the serving plate as the bottom of the cake is flatter.  For the 9 inch cake the above amount of icing was too much. I would try 2/3 of the recipe next time.

Garden flowers made a pleasing finish to the cake.

August 2025

 

Lady Finger Dessert

Sadie recreates one of Mom's recipes 

on Grandmaman and Papa's summer visit 2025.

 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This recipe was from our good neighbour Esther many years ago.  Not only did Esther make a great zucchini cake but she was very generous with the zucchinis she grew in the garden.

 Blend til smooth:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup oil

1 3/4 cup sugar

Add:

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup sour milk

Sift together and blend:

2 1/2 cup flour

4 tbsp. cocoa

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir in:

2 cups grated zucchini

Put the batter in a 19 x 13 x 2 inch pan.  Top with 

1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Oma's Rhubarb Square

Oma was always on the lookout for a great way to use

the bountiful spring rhubarb harvest.

 

 

Bottom  Crust

2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

Crumble the flour, butter and baking powder.  Mix in the egg with a fork.  Save 3/4 cup of this mixture for the topping.  Press the remainder in an 8 x 10 pan.

Topping

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs beaten

extra sugar mixed with

cinnamon for sprinkling

Mix the ingredients and put mixture on the top of pressed crumbs.  Cover with remaining crumbs.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I am assuming this could be made GF by substituting flour with GF flour.

Gluten-Free Lemon Cheesecake

 This was a great recipe.  

I used lemons from Barbara and Rob's lemon tree in Hawaii!

It could easily be made with a non-gluten free crust as well but the GF crust was great.

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/9459-gluten-free-lemon-cheesecake

Grace's White Fruit Cake

 Grace’s White Fruit Cake

(Grace passed this recipe 

to Doreen in November 1950)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter

• 5 eggs

• ½ cup orange juice

• 1 cup blanched and shredded almonds

• ½ cup sliced brazil nuts

• 1 cup thinly sliced candied pineapple

• ½ tsp. salt

• 3 tsp. baking powder

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 3 ½ cups flour

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 cup white raisins

• 1 cup shredded citron

• 1 cup sliced candied cherries

• 2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

1. Cream butter and gradually beat in sugar.

2. Sift ½ cup flour over fruit.  Mix well with fork to be sure each piece is evenly coated with flour.

3. Add well beaten eggs to butter/ sugar mixture.  

4. Sift ½ cup flour into mixture and beat well, then add orange juice, rest of flour and fruit alternately until all used.

5. Bake in moderate oven for approximately 2 hours.

6. Store in closed tin or crock until needed.

2023 Musings

White wine is in the list of ingredients but not seeing it in the preparation.  Perhaps it goes in with the orange juice.  Perhaps it is poured over the baked cake.  

Pumpkin Surprise Chocolate Cake

 Reegan made this delicious cake (gluten free or not)
 for Grandpa's 69th birthday.

Pumpkin Surprise Chocolate Cake 

Otherwise Known As Pake 

Pumpkin Filling 

1 can Pumpkin Puree 15 oz (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup bisquick (biscuit mix) gluten free or not

1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 8 or 9 inch springform pan and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl mix the canned pumpkin with the sweetened condensed milk, bisquick, eggs and cinnamon.  Mix until well combined, then pour the pie filling into the greased pie pan.  Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let cool.

Chocolate Cake

Prepare chocolate cake batter. (1 or 2 boxes or from scratch). Pour 1/4 of batter into 9 or 10 inch springform pan.  Place pumpkin layer on top of batter.  Pour the rest of the batter around and on top of the pumpkin layer.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, checking every 5 minutes after 20 minutes. 

Presentation

Decorate with butter cream icing or as desired.  

~For best results enjoy with company~ Reegan

Chocolate Cake

 Oliver made his first ever cake from scratch!

  Yum!  Yum!

Summer 2022

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

Saskatoon Berry Cream Cheese Crumbcake

Reegan and Grandmaman went Saskatoon Berry picking at Hidden Valley Garden and came home with some plump Saskatoons.  Reegan found a yummy recipe that works well as a GF recipe too.

Crumb Layer

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or GF)

1 cup rolled oats ( or GF)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup vegetable oil

Berry Layer

5 cups fresh saskatoons ( or mixture with blueberries)

1/3 cup water

2 tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp. all purpose flour ( or GF)

Cream Cheese Layer

1 4 oz. pkg cream cheese (diced)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

Whisk brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Gradually stir in oil until mixture is crumbly.  Press 1/2 of the crumb mixture into the prepared pan.  Set remaining crumbs aside for topping.

Bake in the preheated oven until firm, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Place berries and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Stir in lemon uice.  Whisk white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour together in a small bowl.  Stir sugar mixture into berries and cook until mixture begins to thicken,  about 3 minutes.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.  Pour berry filling over crumb crust.

Sprinkle cream cheese pieces evenly over berry filling.  Spread remaining crumb mixture over cream cheese layer and press gently.

Bake in the preheated oven until crumb topping is golden and filling is bubbly, about 40 minutes.

Summer 2022

Sadie's SuperBowl Cake

Sadie created this Football Cake

 to enjoy for the Superbowl game in their new home. 

A snowy day in Massachusetts, a telephone drawing game with the Calgary cousins led by Logan and cake to end the day.

 

Reegan's 11th Birthday Cake

Reegs made her own 11th birthday cake during spring break at home this year. 

 School was cancelled for the Covid 19  Season 

and lots of at home projects were happening.  

The birthday cake was definitely "eye candy",

 super fun to make

 and a great way to celebrate.

  Official review 

"Pretty good, a little on the super sweet side but yummy"!

1st step...Make the crust.

Step 2:  Make the filling.

Step 3:  Blue Pool Cheesecake filling almost ready!

Step 4...Perfectly cooked Pie Crust ready to cool down.

Step 5...Spread cheesecake filling evenly over crust.

Ingredients:

1 package (16 oz.) Vanilla CANDIQUIK Coating
2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
 1 or 2  (3 oz.) packages Jell-O® Berry Blue gelatin 
1 container (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed
1 pie crust 
1 white chocolate candy bar, cut into 1” squares
4 candy necklaces
Peach rings candy
Red cake writing icing
Pretzel twists
Chocolate candies

Instructions:

1. Form pie crust into a 13×9” glass baking pan, bake as directed. I used the Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts, and simply formed the dough to fit the 13×9 pan, I did have to “cut and paste” part of the dough- but it worked perfect and covered the bottom of my pan completely.
2. Melt Candiquik according to directions on package.
3. In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, berry flavored gelatin, and Vanilla Candiquik with an electric mixer until well blended.
4. Fold in whipped topping and mix until well blended.
5. Carefully spoon mixture into glass baking pan and smooth out with a spatula.
6. Cut the string of the candy necklaces so you have one long string of candy; tie a small piece of ribbon on the ends so the candy pieces do not fall off.  String candy necklaces evenly across the cake; you should have approximately 1.5” between each candy necklace.
7. Place white chocolate squares at the end of the cake, between the candy necklaces.
8. To create the life savers: use red cake writing icing to pipe thick lines on the peach ring candies.
9. To create swimmers: break off small pieces of pretzel twists and position on the cake as the arms and legs, place a small candy between the arms as the head.

Thanks to Candiquick for the recipe. For a link to more Olympic ideas and a printable for the flags click:

http://blog.candiquik.com/olympic-party-roundup-20-sweet-treats-for-an-olympic-party/

Happy 11th Birthday Reegan!

Sadie's 10th Birthday Cake

Sadie designed, baked and decorated her own birthday cake this year.  

Mom just watched.  Logan and Oliver helped with the eggs and 

Maple was lots of help with the apron ties.

Cake Ingredients

Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Mix

Raspberry Jelly

Chocolate Fudge

Chocolate Chips

Decorating Supplies (Look in your pantry and create with what you have)

Girl Guide Cookies

Coconut

Marshmallows

Lilac Buttercream Icing

To make the cake check out the photos below and use your imagination.  Sadie designed her cake on paper first with her "pantry ingredients" in mind.  She added chocolate chips to the batter to make the cake a bit "richer".  When the cake was cool and ready to decorate raspberry jelly and chocolate fudge were spread between the layers.  A lovely lilac buttercream icing  became the decorating base and then the cookies, coconut and marshmallows topped off the cake.  

The design

Chocolate Beet Cake

2 cup all-purpose flour

1 ¾ cup sugar

⅔ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup finely grated cooked beets (about 2 large beets)

1 ¼ cup hot water

For the cake, preheat  oven to 350 F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and dust the sides with flour, tapping out any excess.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter has been worked into the flour (it will seem dry and crumbly).

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix in slightly, then mix in the beets. Add the hot water while mixing on low speed, then increase the speed to medium high and continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the batter is thick and fluffy. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, spread to level the batter and tap the pans on the counter to knock out any large air pockets.

Bake the cake for about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans for 30 minutes then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder. Continue to whisk this over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble, then whisk in the cream. Continue to whisk until the mixture returns to a simmer (gentle bubbles) and whisk for an additional minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Cool the mixture (it will look like a thick fudge sauce) to room temperature, then chill for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally while chilling. This will set the frosting to a spreadable consistency.

To assemble, peel the parchment from a cake layer and place it on a plate or platter. Spread an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake and place the second cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake, spreading until smooth. Chill the cake to set, but pull the cake from the fridge an hour before slicing and serving.

The cake will keep for up to 4 days, refrigerated. (freezes well too)

Beet cake with hidden loonies and toonies makes a great 12th  birthday cake for Tristan.

Oma's Carrot Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

4 unbeaten eggs

3 cups shredded carrots

2/3 to 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oil and eggs with mixer.  Stir in by hand, carrots and nuts. Makes about two 9"x 9" or two 8" x 8" pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Frosting

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

about 4 cups icing sugar

For Opa's 84th birthday he requested Oma's carrot cake. Oma gave this recipe to me in 1979 and it has become a favorite recipe.   I baked it in an 11 inch spring form pan and needed to add about 5 minutes extra baking time.  

Happy Birthday Opa!

Oma's Carrot Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspooms baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup oil

4 unbeaten eggs

3 cups shredded carrots

2/3 to 1 cup chopped nuts

Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oil and eggs with mixer.  Stir carrots and nuts in by hand.  Makes about two 8" x 8" or one 9" x 13" pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Frosting

1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

4 cups icing sugar