Category Archives: Recipes (Sweet)

The Cake with the Dreamiest Name

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A soft, tender, and simple cake with an irresistible name.
A soft, tender, and simple cake with an irresistible name.

Who can resist something called “Cloud Cake”?

Certainly not me.

Best yet, this recipe is ideal whenever you find yourself with extra egg whites on hand.

That’s because the batter gets its lift from four egg whites. And it gets its pale khaki color from the fact that it uses light brown sugar, not white granulated

And the texture? Not as delicate as angel food cake. Maybe a touch firmer than chiffon cake. But definitely soft, fluffy, and downy like a dream.

This easy recipe is from “Loaf Tin Bakes” (Hamlyn), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Flavie Millet-Joannan, creator of the blog, Il Etait Un Gateau (Once Upon A Cake).

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Tea Time with Slice-and-Bake Matcha Cookies

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Keep a stash of this slice-and-bake dough handy in the freezer and a fresh-baked matcha cookie can be had anytime.
Keep a stash of this slice-and-bake dough handy in the freezer and a fresh-baked matcha cookie can be had anytime.

Have we reached peak matcha point yet?

I hope not, because this ancient powdered green tea offers a taste of history, culture, healthfulness, and grassy deliciousness along with its distinctive, vibrant color.

Did you know matcha actually originated in China in the 7th century? A Zen Buddhist monk apparently brought the tea back from his studies in China to Japan, where it was initially prepared by whisking to a froth in hot water in a reverential ceremony.

Nowadays, of course, it can be found in most anything and everything.

I love it in desserts, such as these fragrant “Slice-and-Bake Matcha Cookies.”

This recipe is from “Love Japan” (Ten Speed Press, 2023). The cookbook was written by Sawako Okochi and Aaron Israel, the married couple who are owners of the singular Shalom Japan, a Brooklyn restaurant that melds their respective Japanese and Jewish heritages. It was co-written with New York Times Style writer Gabriella Gershenson.

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Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake Will Win You Over

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A chocolate cake worth celebrating.
A chocolate cake worth celebrating.

When it comes to Father’s Day, most folks will no doubt fete their dad with prime rib, a massive T-bone or a double-decker cheeseburger.

Not me.

When I think of my late dad, it’s chocolate that comes to mind first and foremost.

I don’t know if my dad thought that life was a box of chocolates a la Forrest Gump. But he surely thought that life was immeasurably better with any kind of chocolate in it.

So, when I spied this recipe for “Chocolate Stout Rosemary Cake,” I thought of him immediately.

No doubt like my husband, he might have turned quizzical over the addition of rosemary in a cake.

But like my husband after one taste, he would have been won over by the addition of this woodsy herb that stars in the thick, cream cheese frosting that lavishly frosts the top of this sour cream- and Guinness-infused chocolate cake.

Trust me, you’ll fall for this cake in a heartbeat, too.

This fabulous recipe is from “Cake From Lucie” (Clarkson Potter).

It was written by Lucie Franc De Ferriere, a French-born, self-taught baker who owns the popular From Lucie in New York City’s East Village. She grew up baking with her mother at the family’s farm and bed-and-breakfast in Southern France.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies — But Make ‘Em with Miso-Glazed Walnuts

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Loads of dark chocolate plus miso-glazed walnuts make these cookies extra special.
Loads of dark chocolate plus miso-glazed walnuts make these cookies extra special.

Crisp or chewy. Brown sugar or granulated. Softened butter or browned. Chips or chopped chocolate. Baked immediately or from chilled dough.

Chocolate-chip cookies come in all sizes and manners, and we love each and every one.

Get ready to add another fabulous one to your repertoire — this one with miso.

As in miso-glazed walnuts.

“Miso Walnut Double-Thick Chocolate-Chip Cookies” is from “Sift: The Elements of Great Baking” (Clarkson Potter, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nicola Lamb, a London-based recipe developer and pastry chef, who has trained with superstar chefs Dominique Ansel and Yotam Ottolenghi.

The first 100 or so pages are perfect for bakers who like to nerd out. They’re devoted to the science behind flour, sugar, eggs, and fat — and how they affect different types of dessert recipes.

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The Balm of Pistachio-Cardamom Cake

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A cake for cardamom lovers.
A cake for cardamom lovers.

“Ready for Dessert” has got to be the most rhetorical of questions.

Because when it comes to desserts, I don’t know about you, but I am ready and willing 24-7.

If you’re the same, then you’re sure to appreciate this aptly named cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It’s actually a newly revised edition of David Lebovitz’s best-seller that first published in 2010. A professional cook and baker, who worked at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse for 13 years, he’s now grown into a prolific cookbook author and baking authority who makes his home in Paris.

You’ll find nearly 175 recipes sure to tempt your sweet tooth, from “Cherry Gateau Basque,” “Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts,” and “Chocolate Ganache Custard Tart” to “Butterscotch-Pecan Ice Cream,” and “Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread.”

With its haunting and unmistakable sweet, minty, citrus-y, and pine-y fragrance, I can never resist anything with cardamom.

And Lebovitz’s “Pistachio-Cardamom Cake” delivers big-time in aroma, taste, and texture.

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