On feeling lonely or why fall scented candles are honestly the worst.
Darlings,
It's finally fall. I'll tell you what. I don't miss the cold weather at all. And I love the holier than thou feeling I get when I see Californians wearing a hat and gloves in like 50 degree weather.
I will say that there is something missing about this time of year in California. Perhaps it's just where we are - the suburbs to me are never quite as magical as the city this time of year. But I miss the smells, I miss the cocktails and I miss my family and friends.
Darlings, maybe I've said it before, but it's really lonely out here. You have to drive to get anywhere which makes nights out almost unheard of. I find myself spending most free time either walking the lord or cooking. And to be honest, cooking has been a true help in dealing with my anxiety and loneliness. I've never baked as many cakes as I have out here.
There's something cathartic about creating something so grand for no reason at all.
In fact, I hardly ever really indulge in them, save for a taste, but it makes me feel good to know that some things stay the same. Like for instance, my personal level of sassiness doesn't change based on which coast I'm on. It's always at about 126%. This said, it's probably a good thing that we're at home most of the time. This way I don't have to pretend to like the Apple Pie Yankee candle scent of people's homes.
Darlings, you know that the baked good scented candle is in fact one of the worst things that humanity has ever developed. If you want your house to smell like an apple pie, bake a pie, not an apple pie made of chemicals. Also, it doesn't smell good. It smells like you are hiding something. Or like a nutmeg brothel. I. Just. Can't.I also more or less despise all things pumpkin spice. I think that the world has suffered a great wrong as Gingerbread is obviously the superior fall flavor. You know what? I take that back. You can keep your commoditized pumpkin spice and those in the know will continue to enjoy the delight that is gingerbread. The sassy, spicy delight that is gingerbread.
All I ask is that you keep that swill far far away. To convince you that I'm right, I've got a recipe below for you. It utilizes gingerbread and another red headed stepchild of the winter months, cranberries. The sour pop of a cranberry is unique and mesmerizing. Why these pungent bubbles are relegated to an overly sugared condiment is a mystery to me. This recipe makes a dense but lively gingerbread cake. The orange blossom cream cheese really brings it to life and the sugared cranberries that grace it's top create not only the most beautiful cake, but also add this supremely welcome tang to finish off the flavor.This is also a very fun cake to make with your friends. So if you've got some around, get them to come over with takeout and bubbles.
Gingerbread Layer Cake with Orange Blossom FrostingIngredients Cake (Makes 3 9" round cakes)
1.25 C Brown Sugar
1.25 C. Butter
4 Eggs
1.5 C. Molasses
1.5 C Greek Yoghurt
4 C. All Purpose Flour
1.5 Tsp Baking Powder
5 Tsp. Ground Ginger
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Salt
Frosting
24 oz. Cream Cheese
8 oz. Butter, softened
1 C. Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Orange Blossom Water
Sugared Cranberries
12 oz. Fresh Cranberries
1.5 C. Sugar
Method
Pour yourself a glass of something bubbly. Might I suggest a lovely Cremant?
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour your 9" cake pans. Three of them to be exact.
In a large bowl or your mixer's bowl, cream the butter and sugar of your cake.
Add your eggs, one by one to the creamed butter and sugar.
Once all of your eggs are incorporated, add your yoghurt and molasses and mix until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Mix your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until incorporated but the batter is still a bit lumpy.
Pour equal amounts of the batter into your already greased and floured cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.
Let your cakes FULLY COOL once they are done baking.
In the meantime, make your sugared cranberries and frosting
Sugared Cranberries
In a small pan, mix your water, 1/2 c of sugar and cranberries and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Drain your cranberries, reserving the liquid, and let them cool.
Spread out the rest of your sugar (1 C) on a large plate. Roll cooled cranberries through sugar until coated on all sides.
Set aside.
Frosting
Whip your cream cheese, butter, sugar and orange blossom water until smooth.
Set aside.
Once all of your elements are ready - your cakes cooled, your frosting made, and your cranberries sugared, you are ready to start assembling.
Let me tell you something, you can watch all of the cake decorating tutorials that use all of the fancy tools, but all you really need is a plate to put your cake on, some books to create a heightened surface and a rubber spatula. Maybe a butter knife and if you are feeling really fancy MAYBE an icing smoother. Maybe.
On the surface on which you are assembling, smear a bit of frosting to act an adhesive.
Place your first layer on top of the smear.
Paint the top of the cake with the reserved cranberry simple syrup.
To that layer, add about a 1/2 inch of frosting.
Place second layer on top of frosting and repeat with third layer.
If your cakes aren't lining up, take a serrated knife and work around the cake to even out in the places where things aren't lining up. Alternately, you can just use the magic of frosting to fill in the nooks and crannies.
Once built, use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of your cake. I chose to go a little rugged on this. But you do you, darlings.
Now this my favorite part - decorate the top with your sugared cranberries! Use as many or as few as you like. Use your creativity!!!
I hope you guys will enjoy this cake and hang out with your friends and eat it. I miss you all.xoxolcf