12 November 2011

Birthday Baking

I know, I know. Her actual birthday was two days ago, but the school chum party is today, so it's still on my mind.

The thing about having a full time job is that it's hard to get some things done. Happily, my husband totally stepped up to the plate this year, producing 25 apple pie cookies for the girl to take to school on Thursday, and a chocolate chocolate cake for our family celebration Thursday evening.

The apple pie cookies are a totally fussy recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I'd seen the recipe, and mentally bookmarked it, and then the demon baker of my office made them and brought them in. They're terrific. I was going to streamline them by cutting bigger circles and folding them over a half slice of apple - making half-round cookies. But my husband followed the instructions, as he is wont to do. They were awfully cute, and apparently all the children liked them.



He made the cake using two recipes from The Cake Bible, although as he described it, he kind of punted on the icing. No matter, it was fabulous. And he gilded the lily with a smear of raspberry puree between the layers. He does say that he is Never Baking A Cake Again.



I punted by having her party this afternoon at the local hipster locavore ice cream shop. No dancing in my house, no cleaning up to do, no more cake to bake, and support for a small business to boot.

7 comments:

Imperatrix said...

Your school district allows you to bring in homebaked goods? Wow, you are LUCKY.

I saw those cookies at smittenkitchen, and thought they looked too fussy, but they sure look great.

I have the Cake Bible, and most things I make out of there come out way too dry. My fave cake recipe is from (imagine that) smittenkitchen. The everyday caramel cake is my absolute favorite, but her birthday cake recipe isn't bad either.

But looks like your guy has everything under control, so who cares?

Stimey said...

Wow. Amazing. I am just grateful that our school district doesn't let us bring in homebaked goods because then I don't feel like such a jerk for bringing in store bought cupcakes.

Jody said...

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Cathy said...

I made the Smitten Kitchen cookies and I, too, found them "fussy" to assemble. While they looked glorious, I decided "never again" because I didn't like the crust-to-filling ratio. More filling, I say!

De said...

My kids were quite impressed by the cake - they saw the candle blowing shot. Kudos, W!

leanne said...

I'd been thinking I should try those apple pie cookies, but then I decided it might be easier to make a whole pie. So I did that instead.

And chocolate cake with raspberry puree... sounds awesome. I just made raspberry truffle brownies the other day (which I then used to make SK's brownie mosaic cheesecake). Swoon.

readersguide said...

Wow. I am impressed by the cakebaking husband. Jealous, in fact.