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cakesinabox-blog · 5 years

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Bourdain Day

This is probably not the space to write about Anthony Bourdain. He notoriously did not care for desserts—no cakes, no pastries, sometimes chocolate, but usually stilton, his preferred way to end a meal. In his final cookbook, Appetites, he dedicated one chapter to dessert: a one-page explanation as to why he will not take up any additional space in his cookbook for dessert.

“Fuck dessert,” he says. “Okay, I don’t mean that. I like dessert just fine. But if I had to live without one course for the rest of my life, dessert would be the one to go. I certainly don’t know how to make pastries. Perhaps this explains my career-long suspicion of pastry chefs; they can do something I absolutely cannot.” So yeah. Dessert would be the first to go.

But today is Bourdain Day, so I’m going to do it anyway.

Bourdain would have turned 63 today. It’s been just over a year since his passing, and there isn’t really a day that goes by where he doesn’t flit across my mind at least once. I woke up to a number of texts and DMs the day he died, alerting me of the horrible news. I was devastated in a way that confused me, because after all, I’ve never met the man. But he meant so much to me.

I honestly don’t have a clear memory of when my first encounter with his works was. Truthfully, I didn’t read his infamous 1999 piece in the New Yorker until much later in life. My first encounter was probably No Reservations, sometime around freshman year of university as I so desperately tried to find an escape from my own life.

I’m not sure what made me so unhappy freshman year. I had moved into my mum’s friend’s basement, which was a 40-minute bus ride to my alma mater. There was no kitchen, and the windows, though not directly secured with bars, looked like they had bars because of the railing around the stairs that led to my suite.

I was never popular in high school, but I had a good group of friends. Then you’re suddenly thrown into this new world, running from class to class, weaving through a sea of strangers, and your friends are now scattered around the city. There was this all-encompassing loneliness I felt that first year of university. Such a large campus, and no friends at all. Bus to school. Sit in class. Bus back to that basement suite. Rinse. Repeat.

Instead of succumbing to the Freshman 15, I experienced the opposite; I lost weight. You see, I had a really strange relationship with money that was closely tied to guilt. I had no job, and my parents were paying for my schooling, the Basement Dungeon, and my groceries. The only logical solution, to mitigate my own guilt, was not to eat. I don’t know if this constitutes as disordered eating, but I limited myself to a very small amounts of food. Every day would be some combination of cereal and sandwiches. It was cost effective, and it saved my parents money.

The sad thing is, I always found joy in food. My grandma instilled a love for food in me, as did my parents. It excited me and good food was never far from reach throughout my childhood thanks to the matriarch of my family. But I was a burden on my parents, and the only negotiable thing in my life was the amount of food I ate.

Not many things made me happy that first year, but I did find solace in the episodes of cooking shows I would diligently record every weekend when I visited my parents (they had cable; I did not). My obsession with food grew stronger, and because I couldn’t consume it physically, I would instead seek out whatever food-related knowledge the internet could provide.

It’s likely that this is when I first read Kitchen Confidential. Anthony Bourdain is a name that appears over and over again when you’re learning about the culinary world. And as I eventually found a job—which meant I could pay for groceries—I learned that food, for me, is a non-negotiable thanks to Bourdain.

I know how this sounds. I understand my privilege. And so did Bourdain. Wherever he traveled, whatever corner of the universe he was in, he carried that knowledge with him. Perhaps it was this that weighed heavy on his shoulders. But food, it seemed, was the bridge that could really connect you with a culture. Food could really connect you with people who don’t speak the same language. Food could really connect you with parts unknown.

Growing up Chinese, I committed a number of treasonous faux pas against Western etiquette. I learned that I wasn’t to chew with my mouth open from my next door neighbours, Sasha and Ariel (ages 4 and 6, respectively), during a backyard tea party. I learned that steamed fish from the previous night’s dinner is not an appropriate school lunch due to its smell, which intensified after hours inside a thermos. I learned that serving chicken in its entirety, head and all, will leave you with some nauseated guests, because those parts of an animal should never see a dining table.

And so I rejected my culture. I embraced bologna sandwiches. I preferred neatly filleted pieces of fish. I sought out perfectly portioned chicken breasts. I broke my grandma’s heart more than a handful of times.

But then came Anthony Bourdain: champion of offals, lover of bold flavours, an adventurer who was always willing to learn about cultures through food. His openness was inspiring. He was respectful and curious, but most importantly, he saw the beauty in what he didn’t know. If this white man could see the beauty in Chinese cooking, why couldn’t I?

He helped me see just how lucky I am to be who I am: the daughter of Chinese immigrants and the granddaughter of a tremendous cook. To understand the food I was lucky enough to grow up eating is to better understand my own roots, my own culture. And to understand the food of other cultures is to better understand the stories of others, of histories I don’t know, of strangers I’ll never meet.

To know the food is to know the people, and I never want to stop getting to know the food. Happy Bourdain Day.

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cakesinabox-blog · 5 years

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March Madness (and a playlist)

Lol no I don’t watch basketball, but I do like alliteration!

March has come and gone and this first quarter of 2019 has been kind of a whirlwind. Some highlights include:

- Finding not one but two wedding dresses (don’t worry, I’m not that conceited—I’m selling the one I like less) - Going to Portland and seeing friends while eating all the food - Spending more time with my mum, which honestly was unfathomable for a while since we’d always end up fighting

But this first quarter also brought on a lot of really anxious self-reflection. Mr. Cakes in a Box and I are planning to start a family in the future, and I’ve been working as a self-employed copywriter and social media manager for over three years now. This means no job security, no extended health coverage, and, well, no maternity leave if and when that time comes.

I don’t know. I initially became a contractor because my grandma was really sick and I wanted to spend more time with her. After she passed, I continued on with this path because it really does provide so much freedom, and it was obvious that was the only way to also grow Cakes in a Box. But have I really made the most out of my time? Probably not.

It’s hard not to compare yourself to your peers. My friends are really smart, talented people. They have big goals, and what’s even more important than setting big goals is achieving them. So when I feel like I’m stagnant in my own professional life, it’s hard not to feel a bit down on myself.

One thing I’m really bad at is being kind to myself. I am extremely hard in myself, and it’s really obvious to everyone I know, and even to those I don’t know all that well. In my first year of University, I was in this really boring geography class that required a very big group project component. Long story short, by the end of the semester, one of the girls with whom I had become quite close wrote me a Christmas card, which included a sentence that both left me a bit embarrassed: “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Now, I know I’m neurotic, but I always thought I hid it well. I’m not sure why embarrassment was the main feeling it elicited. It was just... always how I lived my life. When I was decorating cakes at a destination wedding last May, a friend remarked how I was such a perfectionist, how I seemed to beat myself up when the frosting wasn’t absolutely perfect.

“But that’s how you get good, I guess.”

So, yes, I’m still hard on myself. And yes, I really do think that the only way to improve is to push yourself until you can’t anymore. But I’m trying not to be so hard on myself.

I’m trying to remind myself that when I want to rest, I should. I’m trying to remind myself that when I feel sad, it’s okay to do so. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s really unfair of me to compare my own career trajectory with those of my peers, since we’re doing such different things anyway. I’m trying to remind myself it takes time to grow a business and a brand, and it’s okay that it might take a little longer than expected.

So, next quarter, I’m going to focus on letting myself feel the things I need to, and do everything at my own pace. You only get one you... or whatever.

Anyway. Here’s a nice little March playlist for you. Hope you find something you like.

1. Rhye - “Open” 2. Tame Impala - “Patience” 3. Flume ft. JPEGMAFIA - “How to Build a Relationship” 4. Cautious Clay ft. UMI - “Saturday Morning Cartoons” 5. Noname ft. Smino & Saba - “Ace” 6. Solange - “Stay Flo” 7. Tierra Whack - “Unemployed” 8. ScHoolboy Q - “Numb Numb Juice” 9. Angel Olsen - “Never Be Mine” 10. Rex Orange County - “Waiting Room”

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cakesinabox-blog · 5 years

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Bad habits (and how to change them! Or at least tolerate them!)

It is February! How are YOUR New Year’s Goals going? Because mine feel like they've been brought to a standstill.

Because that’s what happens. And that’s totally fine. The new year gears up and by February, I’m knee-deep in work and social obligations and other crap. But sometimes it’s hard to convince myself that this is normal, and that goals take time to achieve. Or maybe I should just make simpler, more achievable goals.

I’ve been thinking a lot about bad habits, having read about how it takes rewiring how your brain thinks about a specific behaviour before you can actually change said behaviour. You have to identify it, understand what causes the behaviour, set reasonable goals around how to change it, and most importantly, be patient with yourself. And though there are a number of articles that suggest it only takes 21 days to “fix” a bad habit, this number was based on a study done in 1960. Lol.

Another study, conducted in 2009, more accurately and fairly suggests that it can vary greatly when it comes to “how long,” because obvvvvvviously. How you deal with a bad habit depends on you, what that habit is, and so many other variables. Anyway. The short of the long of it is that I still haven’t baked more, I haven’t started on any video content, I haven’t done more cake research, and I still forget to eat sometimes.

Now, all of these things can be chalked up to laziness. Which then got me to thinking about more specific baking bad habits. I’ve been baking a long time, so it’s only natural that I’ve developed some, but so many of these can be detrimental to the outcome of your cake. Baking is science!

To help you become a better baker, I’m going to tell you all the dumb things I do, which has, on more than one occasion, messed up a cake real bad.

1. Not reading your recipes in full before baking

No matter how confident you are about knowing your recipe by heart, just give it a read before you go any further. Just give it a glance. A scan. A quick looksie. Just do it. And by a glance, a scan, a quick looksie, really read the ingredients and the order in which they should be added. Because no matter how confident you are, you might forget something. In fact, I guarantee that you will forget something. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But rest assured, your cake won’t turn out one day because maybe you forgot an egg. Or baking powder. Both of which has happened to me.

2. Scooping out flour with your measuring cup instead of spooning flour into your measuring cup

Okay, honestly, I didn’t really believe this one when I first read that you are supposed to spoon flour into your measuring cup somewhere long ago. But then I noticed that I was getting really inconsistent results, especially with one of my chocolate cake recipes. So I tried scooping flour into my measuring cup (and then levelling the flour, of course, because I’m not a heathen), and like magic, my cake layers were more consistent.

To really up my own ante, I started measuring all of my stuff on a digital scale. No, I’m not doing this every single time, but I know I should. At least I started doing it, though, right?

3. Not letting your fridge sit in the cake for long enough before crumb-coating

Oops. Guilty. It’s because I’m impatient, okay? And I just can’t wait long enough to see what the design I have in my head looks like IRL.

So the dangers of not letting your crumb-coat chill for long enough: you’ll get crumbs in your buttercream. And the more you try to smooth it out, the more crumbs you’ll most likely drag into the final buttercream layer. Just be patient. Just let it sit in the fridge for longer than you think it’ll need, then a few more minutes after that. It’ll be easier to work with, too.

4. Not letting your ganache cool for long enough before using it

Remember when I said baking is a science? Well, guess what happens when you add hot ganache onto a cold cake? That’s right: the buttercream will inevitably melt.

Let your ganache cool before you use it as a filling or a drip. Just plan ahead (which is hard, I know) and make it, and let it sit out.

Drips, of course, are a little bit different, since you want them to... well, drip along the side of your cake. To see if your drip ganache is at the right temperature, just test it by pouring a little bit onto a plate or the side of a glass, and see if it trails the way you want it to.

Anyway. Don’t ruin your buttercream and potentially your entire cake, like a dumb-dumb.

And yes, I probably have a bunch of other bad habits, but these are my most offensive ones. This is Joyce. These are her baking fails. Don’t be like Joyce.

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cakesinabox-blog · 5 years

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Goals? Goals!

There are fewer things that make my eyes roll harder and farther to the back of my head than New Year’s Resolutions. Ugh. There’s something so daunting about them because, for some reason, that last word only sets you up for failure. Is this just my experience? Maybe? Okay, whatever.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made Resolutions and failed to meet them a week into the New Year. And that feeling is awful. But with that said, maybe I think that it’s okay to break them on some subconscious level, because the reality of it is that “Resolution” doesn’t mean anything to me.

Goals, on the other hand... I credit all of my elementary school teachers for hammering the importance of goal-setting keep into my brain. Goals understand that it takes a person time to make any sort of meaningful achievement. Goals are less puritanical if you make a misstep. Goals are forgiving, because so long as you get there in the end, then you’ve achieved your goal.

So I’m rebranding my New Year’s Resolutions this year as my 2019 goals. Here are some cake-related ones, and some a little less related to cakes.

1. Bake more The truth is that I only bake when I need to. Every now and then I’ll be inspired to bake something I want to eat, but I understand that baking is something that needs to be honed through repetition. I’ve seen myself improve so much in the past year, and I know I have a lot more creativity to give.

So this year, I’m going to test out at least one recipe each week on top of the baking I already do. Neither Mr. Cakes in a Box nor I should be having that much sugar, so if you are hoping to try some of my cakes, please send me your application. (Or just message me, because I’m kidding. Joke applications, in fact, are welcome though.)

2. Embrace video As someone who works in marketing, I know it’s a sin that I’m not already creating video content. In addition to that, Mr. Cakes in a Box actually studied film. I have the resources, and it feels like a waste not to take advantage of them. 2019 will be the year of me smiling awkwardly into a camera.

3. Do more research To inspire myself and keep myself motivated, I want to try out more pastries and cakes from all around the city. Home bakers, new pastry shops... I want to eat it all. I’m always trying to conjure up unique and fun flavour combinations, and there’s nothing better than supporting #localbusinesses, amirite??? In addition to that, I really want to focus on new techniques this year. More science, more books on baking, more secrets to making my cakes even fluffier, even more moist, even more delicious.

4. Put self-care above all of the aforementioned I am notorious for forgetting to eat or drink anything while I’m baking. I don’t know what it is. I guess I’m just too focused on the task at hand. So of course, this also means that at the end of my baking sessions, I’m much too tired to do something active.

At this moment, I’ve never felt more lethargic and less like myself. I’ve really put exercise (and other self-care activities) on the back burner even though I used to thoroughly enjoy such things as running and going to the gym. I’ll be doing my third consecutive half marathon this year, so it’s definitely good motivation, but I want my self-care routine to be more sustainable. Let 2019 be the year of a healthy and happy Joyce.

5. Listen to more music I really let music discovery slide this past year, too, when it used to be a main focus of my life. We’re 23 days in; I’ve been keeping up with this goal, and I’m already happier for it. And because I also want you to be a happier person in 2019, here’s the first Baked Goods playlist of 2019.

1. Dominic Fike - "Westcoast Collective" 2. Boogie - "Silent Ride" 3. ROSALÍA - "MALAMENTE" 4. Maggie Rogers - "Give A Little" 5. Tierra Whack - "Hungry Hippo" 6. James Blake - "Can't Believe the Way We Flow" 7. Lana Del Rey - "hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but i have it" 8. Billie Eilish - "WHEN I WAS OLDER" 9. Nilüfer Yanya - "In Your Head" 10. Toro y Moi - "Fading"

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cakesinabox-blog · 5 years

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Some Christmas thoughts, some Christmas songs

I freakin’ love Christmas. I love the decorations. I love all the cozy activities. I love how everyone wants to hang out and just enjoy each other’s company. I love all the Christmas gatherings that surround food, and above all, I love Christmas baking.

Okay, so the truth of the matter is that I love to eat Christmas baking. Semantics. It’s just that Christmas baking is often chocolate and butter-laden—two things I just cannot say no to.

I learned quite recently that my eating habits are not common, in that I have something sweet—whether this be a few candies or a massive slice of cake—at least once a day, every day. I heard too much sugar isn’t good for my health. And Mom, I promise to eat less sugar come the new year, but this ain’t the time, especially considering how this year has been absolute dogshit. Let’s not dwell on that. Maybe those thoughts in another blog.

Anyway, Christmas baking can become overwhelming, especially when it’s December 24 and you’re in the midst of dropping off baked goods for loved ones but you realize you forgot three people, and two of those three people would take it really personally. Which is why you need a baked good that’s reliable, easy, and takes about 45 minutes to make from start to finish.

Yes, it exists. And it’ll save your ass on more than one occasion.

May I present to you: Turtle bars. It’s five ingredients (six if you count salt). You’re welcome.

They make a giant batch and you can make at least 10 little goodie bags with them, but that’s only if you can resist eating at least a quarter of the batch, which is what I do without fail every time I make it. Quality control or whatever.’

Alright, so. Go ‘head and preheat your oven to 350F. Then, line your baking sheet with a Silpat. I do really recommend this, as I’ve tried with parchment and the toffee ends up being a little too sticky. The cookies peel off silicone like magic. Place a single layer of graham crackers onto your Silpat-baking sheet.

Over medium-high heat, melt one cup of butter, one cup of golden brown sugar, and one cup of pecans in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly once it boils for about 3-5 minutes. Pour this mixture over the graham crackers as evenly as you can. I find this to be the trickiest part. Get a little help from your spatula and spread it out a bit.

Bake the graham crackers for 15 minutes, and while you’re doing this, melt dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water (a bain-marie). Once the graham crackers are out of the oven, use a fork and go Jackson Pollock with the chocolate and sprinkle some flaked sea salt over the chocolate. Make sure you chill the bars in the fridge (15-20 minutes) until the chocolate hardens before you cut the bars. Et voila. That’s it.

Turtle Cookies

Ingredients 1 box of graham crackers (you won’t be using the entire thing) 1 cup of unsalted butter 1 cup packed golden brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 12 ounces dark chocolate Salt

Method 1. Preheat oven to 350F. 2. Arrange the graham crackers in single layer on Silicone mat-lined baking sheet. 3. Melt butter, brown sugar, and pecans in saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes and stirring constantly. 4. Pour mixture evenly over the graham crackers and bake for 15 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate in bowl placed over simmering water. Pour the chocolate over the toffee-covered graham crackers and spread evenly. Sprinkle flaked sea salt over chocolate. 6. Chill completely in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before cutting into bars.

And for your listening pleasure, here are some Christmas songs that, yes, were heavily featured on The O.C. holiday mix, but also some other Christmas songs that include DMX singing about Rudolph. Oh, it is a good one.

1. The Ravonettes - “The Christmas Song” 2. Bright Eyes - “Blue Christmas” 3. Ron Sexsmith - “Maybe This Christmas” 4. LCD Soundsystem - “Christmas Will Break Your Heart” 5. Kanye West ft. Teyana Taylor, Cyhi the Prynce, Pusha T, Big Sean, Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Vado, Musiq Soulchild - “Christmas in Harlem” 6. Tyler, the Creator ft. Ryan Beatty - “When Gloves Come Off” 7. TLC - “Sleigh Ride” 8. Eazy-E - “Merry Muthaf*ckin’ Xmas” 9. DMX - “Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer” 10. Gucci Mane - “St. Brick Intro”

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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November playlist: A little late but worth the wait

Between work, planning a wedding, and trying to figure out last-minute things for our engagement party, I’ve been knee-deep in... well, not even work, just other shit. But! I have had this November playlist drafted for so long, and yes, it’s already November 22. This playlist is good, I promise.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the November Baked Goods playlist, featuring some Frank Ocean, Elliott Smith, Noname, Pusha, and more.

1. Earl Sweatshirt ft. RZA - "Molasses" 2. Noname - "Don't Forget About Me" 3. Cautious Clay ft. Lil Silva - "Always Wonder" 4. Danny Dwyer - "Honest" 5. Brent Faiyaz - "Trust" 6. Pusha T - "Come Back Baby" 7. JPEGMAFIA - "Puff Daddy" 8. Vince Staples - "Feels Like Summer" 9. Frank Ocean - "Pink + White" 10. Elliott Smith - "Say Yes"

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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1am thoughts and a recipe for chocolate cake

I have been sick for almost a week, but because I am a giant baby, it has felt like an eternity. Illness breeds hyperboles, and I am not above making them. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve been this sick, and it’s been accompanied by a sore throat are chills, aches, and major congested everything. Y’all, I don’t remember what it’s like to breathe with my nose.

I guess this isn’t the best segue into a recipe for a chocolate cake, so I’ll write a little more before I get there.

I turned 29 two weeks ago, and man, is there anything less eventful than turning 29? I’m waiting for the mid-life crisis that comes with hitting 30—I hear that’s what happens, at least.

My birthday this year was a quiet day for the most part, spent in the sun on a hike with the love of my life, got some tacos, got some cream puffs, got some Italian food. It was very laidback, very low-key, and while it was nice, there was something about this birthday that made me very aware of the fact that I’m no longer “young” and it was a little disheartening.

I feel like people make it a point of pride when they say that they’re too old to celebrate their birthday. Like, “Oh, I’m too old to make a big deal out of it.” I have never understood this. You get ONE day to celebrate your birthday, to celebrate you—and that’s everything about you! Even if you’re kind of a dick, you get to be celebrated!

I know this sounds conceited, but I love reading birthday messages because it’s such a nice reminder of the people in life are in my life. It’s so easy to live day after day without any real appreciation for yourself, and to be reminded of why you are great is nice. Birthdays are the ultimate treat yo’selfs (this is a weird tense but I stand by it).

Anyway, this year, Mr. Cakes in a Box baked me a cake. His first! And it was honestly so good. Please appreciate a photo of the beautiful crumb coat of his cake, because I really can’t believe he managed to pull this out of his ass. The man’s FIRST TIME, and he comes up with a moist, rich, and delightful chocolate cake.

I will say that his decorating could use a little work, but you know what will really speak for itself? The fact that we finished his damn cake. The entire thing. And we hardly touched the one I made for myself. I went with a malt chocolate fudge cake with espresso fudge sauce and chocolate swiss meringue buttercream... and we ate maybe two slices.

Anyway, no matter how you feel about birthdays, Ima tell you this: YOU. DESERVE. A. BIRTHDAY. CAKE. And let it be a chocolate one.

Here’s my favourite chocolate cake recipe. I’m not gonna talk you through it this time. I’m tired. It’s 1:30am now. Enjoy

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Recipe Makes one three-layer 6″ cake

Ingredients ¾ cup cocoa powder 1½ cups flour 1½ tsp baking soda ¾ tsp baking powder 1 egg 1 egg yolk 1½ cups brown sugar ¾ cup sour cream 5 tbsp vegetable oil ¾ boiling hot coffee 2 tsp vanilla extract ¾ tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat to 350°. Prepare three 6″ cake pans with butter and cocoa powder. 2. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder into bowl; then whisk to combine. 3. Whisk egg, egg yolk, brown sugar, sour cream, oil, vanilla, salt, and coffee in separate bowl until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients until just combined. 4. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for about 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes before inverting cake layers onto rack to cool completely.

#chocolate cake #chocolate #recipe #chocolate cake recipe #birthday #cake #cake recipe

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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Paris, Engagements, Playlists

Alright, so I dropped the ball a bit on the whole blogging thing, but I’m really determined to keep this going. With that said, a whole bunch of things have happened since I last posted.

1. I went to Paris. And man, did I ever fall in love with it! I had never been a huge fan of the city. Nothing against it, but there was never a draw. All that romance stuff—not for me. But the city really is magnetic. The architecture is charming, the vibe is both energizing and soothing at the same time, and the goddamn pastries. On our last trip to Du Pain et Des Idees (a must visit), we spent $40 on croissants and escargot pastries and much, much more. We ate good. But there’s another reason as to why I really picked up what Paris put down...

2. I got engaged! Yes, Mr. Cakes in a Box popped the age-old question: “Will you join me in carrying each other’s financial debts for the rest of our miserable lives?” And I said yes. Actually, I sobbed like a baby. Because I am a sap.

He planned a very elaborate and thoughtful treasure hunt with my best friend that took me around the city, using clues he wrote that pertained to our relationship. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. And even at the last clue, I still thought it was just an anniversary gift. He was waiting for me at our place, filled with candles, waiting to make me his goddamn fiancée. It happened a few days for Paris, so it made the trip all the more lovely.

3. I made a playlist for you. It’s for October, i.e. my birthday month, y’all! And it features all of my favourite songs of all time (this was a hard thing to do, actually). It has some Kanye—and no, I’m not really ready to talk about him. What is there to say? I revered him for years and years, defending him at every opportunity because he really is a talented artist, and he’s been showing—rather aggressively—that he might not be deserving of my respect. Anyway. The playlist still isn’t quite finished, so I’ll be adding to it, and I didn’t really order this one like I usually do. Feel free to put it on shuffle.

Without further ado: here’s a little playlist, and also some photos for your perusal.

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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baked goods: a september playlist

Even though I haven’t attended school in over six years, it’s still really hard to separate the nervous, excited anxiety of September. Back-to-school was my favourite but also the most stressful time of the year. Teachers, professors, friends, crushes, classes... it’s a lot, and I seem to keep that same energy every September, no matter what's going on in my life.

It’s a super weird feeling, especially considering that September is really no different from any other month when you’re a grown ass human. So I’m going to channel those nervous, excited feelings into more positive ones, embrace the hell out of them, and turn it into a productive and fun month.

Here’s a little playlist to help you keep that same energy. It’s got some Kanye, some Drake, a St. Vincent track that I know is impossible not to air guitar to, and even one from Ariana Grande, someone I never knew I could be a fan of until she dropped sweetener. Consider me a convert.

Tracklist:

1. Drake - “Nice For What” 2. St. Vincent - “Huey Newton” 3. Cousin Stizz - “Shop” 4. A$AP Rocky ft. Skepta - “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” 5. Ariana Grande - “no tears left to cry” 6. Travis Scott - “STARGAZING” 7. Pusha T - “If You Know You Know” 8. JPEGMAFIA - "1539 N. Calvert" 9. KIDS SEE GHOSTS - “4th Dimension” 10. Kanye West - “I Wonder”

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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how to cut a cake

Cake cutting is always my least favourite part of any cake baking operation. The obvious reason is that I’m literally cutting into hours and hours of work and blood, sweat, and tears (figuratively).

I’m also incredibly particular about how cakes are cut. Symmetry is important. The way the cake lays on the plate is important. My grandma used to do this thing where she just... jabs the knife in and whatever you get is whatever you get. It used to be a mangy mess. And it drove me insane.

So, while I pride myself in making very even cuts, I came across an ingenious method last year that not only gives perfect slices, but also makes the most out of your cake, giving you more portions than your cake would otherwise.

Katherine Sabbath, Cake Goddess and overall very cool lady, posted a video of her cake being cut by a lady named Julie to her Instagram last year, and it is still one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

First, you make a cut across the cake, close to one of the sides. Immediately lay that slice down on a cutting board. Then, cut the cake into long, rectangular slices. Repeat. And enjoy cake.

I tried making some diagrams for you visual learners, but they looked really dumb, so here’s the original Instagram video. Thank you, Julie.

A post shared by Katherine Sabbath (@katherine_sabbath) on Jun 9, 2017 at 2:49pm PDT

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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Paris, LA, and vanilla layer cake

I’m going to Paris in September! It’ll be my first time, and I can hardly contain my excitement. I’ve been researching restaurants, and more importantly, patisseries, to visit, but it’s pretty overwhelming—Paris is e n o r m o u s. Holy.

I’ve heard that bad croissants don’t exist there, but I’d like to put my best foot forward either way. I do this thing—because I am a control freak—where I find as many good restaurants as I can and map them out on Google Maps. See, this way, if I’m in the 11th arrondissement (I’m learning!) and I suddenly get hungry, I can just refer to my map. I did this for my recent trip to New York and I had just over 50 spots mapped up. I am serious about this shit.

According to Google Maps, I have 58 places listed. Can't knock me for not being thorough.

Anyway, I’m excited, but there’s still a lot I haven’t planned yet. So instead of planning, I decide to book another trip, exactly a month after I return to Vancouver from Paris. Oops!

I’ll be going to LA for Camp Flog Gnaw in November. It’s a music festival that my boyfriend (let’s call him Mr. Cakes, for prosperity) and I have wanted to go to for a very long time. This year’s lineup, especially for two Kanye stans (more on this later), is an unmissable opportunity, so we YOLO’d it and got passes. Fiscally irresponsible? Probably. Good for mental health? I think. Lots of fun? I mean I sure as hell hope so.

Between Paris and LA, there’s going to be a lot of “research” for me to do. It’ll be hard work. Thinking about the gruelling days ahead of me, of eating copious amounts of baked goods, cakes and fresh bread, delectable desserts... it’s a lot. But you know what? I’m a good person. I’m going to take one for the team. I’m doing this for you.

Which is why it’s probably good to revisit a tried and true classic recipe: vanilla layer cake, because I’ll need keep myself grounded after trying some of the best desserts in the world; it’ll go right to my head.

I’ve never really been a fan of anything vanilla, with McDonalds soft serve cones as a very strong exception. Especially when it comes to cake, it always seemed crazy to me that someone would choose vanilla over chocolate. Vanilla sheet cakes, those ones from the grocery store (a particularly popular choice by the decision makers of my youth), were always bland and mealy.

But this vanilla cake recipe that I swear by, adapted from The Alchemist, is fluffy, moist, and flavourful. What more could you ask for in a cake? A necessary bonus: it whips up so quickly.

Whisk together your choice of flavourless oil (canola is my go-to) and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and make sure they’re room temperature. This is especially important when you’re adding them into a fat that can congeal all chunkily (what? It’s a word!). Throw in a healthy splash of vanilla.

Over this mixture (or in a separate bowl—but I am a firm believer of doing fewer dishes), sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Slowly mix until almost combined, then add sour cream, half a cup at a time. Mix a little more, and it’s ready to bake. This recipe is pretty resilient to overmixing, but obviously don’t purposely overmix like a dummy. Pour the batter evenly into three prepared* 6″ pans (the recipe makes about six cups of batter, so two cups per cake pan), and bake for about 40 minutes at 350°F (preheat ahead of time, duh).

This vanilla cake is great. It’s the perfect amount of basic, where you can add anything to do it (lemon zest, fresh fruit, chocolate chips, sprinkles... the world is your oyster—or, vanilla cake I guess), and it’s one of my most popular flavours despite it being—yup, exactly—just vanilla. Basic isn’t always bad. Festive candles, mason jars, and Mean Girls are tight. But definitely not pumpkin spice anything or Taylor Swift. Absolutely not.

Vanilla Layer Cake Makes one three-layer 6″ cake

Ingredients 1 ¼ cups of oil 1 ¾ cups of sugar 4 eggs 1 tbsp of vanilla 2 ¼ cups of flour ½ cup of cornstarch 1 tbsp of baking powder Salt 1 ½ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt (full-fat or split!)

Method 1. Whisk together oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and whisk until pale in colour. Add vanilla. 2. In a separate bowl, sift dry ingredients. 3. Add dry ingredients and sour cream into wet ingredients, alternating between the two. 4. Bake in 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean (a tried and true method of testing cake doneness).

You get a vanilla cake! You get a vanilla cake! You also get a vanilla cake!

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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baked goods: a little playlist

I listen to a lot of music. I’m not going to say that music is my life or whatever, as I don’t play any instruments and I feel like unless I understand the inner workings of the art, I can’t really claim that I dedicate my life to it. With that said, I’ve been writing for Pigeons & Planes, a New York-based hip hop and indie site, for almost eight years. Before that, I would lurk blogs for new music, and before that, I’d sit on the bedroom floor of my childhood home for two days straight to listen to Z95.3FM’s summertime countdown while building elaborate 3D puzzles (lol I know). I think a more accurate way of describing my relationship with music is that it's just an integral part of my life, and I am almost always listening to it.

Especially when baking, a good playlist is crucial. This isn't the end-all, be-all of baking playlists, because it’s not. But for the first instalment of Baked Goods—a Spotify playlist that I’ll update monthly (this is a very big commitment for me)—there are some chill and fun songs that feel like those last few weeks of summer, when everything slows down a bit but it’s still hot and you want to spend as much time outside as possible. Oh, and a little tribute to Aretha, of course.

Without further ado, here’s Baked Goods: August 2018.

Tracklist:

1. 88rising, Joji, BlocBoy JB - “Peach Jam” 2. Childish Gambino - “Summertime Magic” 3. Jungle - “Heavy, California” 4. Mitski - “Why Didn’t You Stop Me?” 5. Brockhampton - “1999 Wildfire” 6. Blood Orange - “Charcoal Baby” 7. The Internet - “Look What U Started” 8. Cuco & Clairo - “Drown” 9. Frank Ocean - “Self Control” 10. Kanye West ft. 070 Shake, Kid Cudi & PARTYNEXTDOOR - “Ghost Town” 11. Aretha Franklin - “Son of a Preacher Man”

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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weekends / swiss meringue buttercream

Similar to how people say “life is what you make it,” so are weekends. I’m a freelance copywriter/content writer, which means I’m essentially glued to the computer around the clock. When you pair that with baking, it means that weekends don’t... really exist. Friday is a cake baker’s Monday. Sunday is Friday. But Monday is actually Monday, too, because that’s when the rest of the world works and will reply to emails.

It’s been an interesting transition, but in addition to being eternally exhausted, I’ve learned that you really have to force yourself to take little breaks. Don’t get me wrong: having such an open schedule allows for naps, which are the only things keeping me alive. God, I love naps.

And you know what naps are good for? Sleeping through hot weather. Which is what Vancouver has been experiencing. (Although I might have to change the tense of that sentence soon; I think summer is almost over here. You had a good run, Vancouver Summer 2018.)

Except you know what hot weather sucks for? Well, a number of things. I am honestly the biggest POS in hot weather. I hate being sticky and sweaty and inner thigh chafing (IT’S A THING—GET OVER IT). But it’s especially bad for American buttercream.

American buttercream is really just butter, icing sugar, a bit of salt, and sometimes a bit of milk or cream if you’re feeling saucy. It’s not particularly great in warm weather. It gets—how should we put this—blobby. I had to transport a cake a couple of weeks ago and made the mistake of sticking with my trusty American buttercream recipe. Only 25 minutes were spent in the car, with the air conditioning blasting so hard that I couldn’t feel my feet anymore, but the cake still lost a bit of its structural integrity. So needless to say, I had to switch it up.

Enter: Swiss meringue buttercream.

Similar to French or Italian meringue buttercream (more on these babies later), Swiss meringue buttercream uses egg whites, which creates stability. Without getting too science-y (because I won’t front: I am not a science-y minded human), Swiss meringue buttercream is great for cakes that need to be out of the fridge and on display. It’s perfect for weddings and the like. I was initially a little intimated to try a new buttercream recipe for an order, and while it’s a little more labour-intensive than American buttercream it is SO. MUCH. BETTER.

Light as a cloud, dreamily spreadable, and not sickeningly sweet. I am a believer. Let us pray at the altar of Swiss meringue buttercream.

So, first, you need to whisk egg whites and sugar in a makeshift bain-marie (so a clean, grease-free metal bowl that fits snuggly over small pot). The egg whites need to cook so it can be safely consumed, though pasteurized egg whites are technically good to go. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten raw egg and I’m fotally tine. Not condoning it or anything. It’s just something I do.

But I digress.

The sugar should fully dissolve in the egg whites as you whisk it. The temperature of the mixture should reach 140 F. Once one of those things happen, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk it on high on your stand mixer until it forms stiff peaks. This can take a while, like 15 to 20 minutes. So do the dishes. Watch an episode of Friends. Take a quick shower. Or something.

When that’s good to go, switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low while slowly adding your butter (room temperature) to the egg-sugar mixture. Most recipes suggest that you cube your butter, but I am a lazy and impatient person, so I add it in big chunks.

At this point, your buttercream will look a little soupy. Keep mixing. Then it’ll look a little chunky or curdled. Keep mixing. I know it’s off-putting, but that’s just how it goes.

Eventually, it’ll turn into silky, dreamy, sensual (what?) Swiss meringue buttercream. It’s like magic, and it’s one of the most satisfying things to watch happen.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients 150 grams of egg whites 250 grams of white sugar 340 grams of butter, softened and cubed Vanilla, to taste

Method 1. Put small sauce pan and fill with water 1/4 way full; bring to a low boil. 2. Whisk egg whites and sugar into mixing bowl, and place over sauce pan. The mixing bowl should fit snuggly over the pan, and the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. 3. Continue to whisk until sugar has fully incorporated into the egg whites; if the mixture still feels grainy, keep whisking, or until mixture reaches 140F. Remove from heat. 4. With the whisk attachment, whisk the egg-sugar mixture on medium-high in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. 5. Replace whisk attachment with paddle attachment with speed on low, and add butter slowly into the egg-sugar mixture. At this point, your buttercream may appear soupy—this is normal. Continue to whisk until it comes together. 6. Flavour buttercream.

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cakesinabox-blog · 6 years

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the first slice

I had been resisting writing blogs for Cakes in a Box for a very long time now. My little cake operation has been up and running for a little over four years at this point, but as someone who writes a lot—especially blogs—for a living, it’s hard to be motivated about creating my own.

With that said, a number of people (especially those in marketing) have been pushing me to do this. I don’t want that to be my driving factor; worrying about clicks and site visits are really things I never check on at all. (This is an enormous faux pas for someone who also does social media for companies—I know, okay? Shush.) Instead, I’d rather this be a space where I just... I don’t know, write!

Does anyone remember Xanga? Or LiveJournal? I had every blogging platform under the sun. I really liked writing. I liked the way I could make these little letters convey things. I guess that’s why I like baking, too. Did you know that flour and sugar and other incredibly unassuming ingredients can make cake?

I used to write so much, but now that I get paid to do it, it seems a little less appealing to do it on my own. Blogging was also highly romanticized, but I think social media has changed that a little. No one has the patience to read anymore.

So what I’m saying is: this is more for me than it is for you—sorry. But I’ll still share little recipes and tips here and there, because I am a baker, after all. Self-taught, meaning there have been a number of failures... so many that I’ve lost count. Just two days ago, I totally botched a matcha cake recipe. Rookie mistake, though: tested a new recipe for an order. Oops.

More than that, I am a food enthusiast. No, not a foodie. (How that word has fallen from grace!) I am enthusiastic about food. I am no expert, but I sure love to eat, and cook, and read about food. If you love those things, too, I think we’ll get along.

Welcome to Cakes in a Box. It’s nice to meet you.

#cakes #recipes #foodblogger #foodblogging

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