Sweet And Crumby

Baking, a Love Story

Category Archives: Cakes


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A Seventies Lunch Box Revival: Twinkies! {Chocolate Squared Style}

I saw these totally retro, devilishly chocolate, homemade Twinkies on Simple Math Bakery’s site last week (check Jeanne’s site out…much better photos there my friends). They immediately brought back memories of sitting in the school lunch shelter at turquoise painted picnic tables (gum stuck to the underneath of course), chatting with my friends and trading chips and cookies when someone had what you wanted.

When I broke into my lunch, I immediately had to check out the dessert action first. I have always had a very bad sweet tooth I’m afraid.

The best (and worst for you) part of any kid’s 70’s lunch, if she was worth her salt, was the Hostess surprise inside. Whether it was a semi-stale bright yellow Twinkie or the foil wrapped Devil’s food, Ding Dong, Hostess was the king of the Snack world in the 70’s…though, sadly and very gratefully, not any more. Continue reading →


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Take a Walk on the Wild Side with a Pumpkin Apple Crumb Cake

I am not confused. It is not fall here nor most likely where you are either which is especially apparent if you are under five feet of snow. But who says that pumpkin anything must be reserved for Fall? We don’t reserve wonderful things like chocolate nor vanilla beans for one season. Yes, the argument perhaps is that pumpkins are not growing right now, and ideally we should use ingredients that grow locally and are fresh, but sometimes we just may happen to have a left over can (or 10…I stockpile) of organic pumpkin puree that needs to be used.

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A Trio of Cupcakes

Rich Red Velvets, Devil’s Food with peppermint buttercream, and whipped chocolate Three Musketeers mini cupcakes made up a festive tray for a Christmas party my son was attending over the weekend. It was a last hurrah before the dreaded finals week or as I affectionately like to refer to it as the “f” word.

My thirteen-year-old daughter and I had spent almost two hours just decorating 48 mini cupcakes. That was a labor of love if there ever was one. But honestly, we didn’t do it for those unobservant teens (no offense guys). We did it for us; for the fun of hanging out in the kitchen together, laughing at our ridiculous piping mistakes, and pulling the big, goofy Golden Retriever away from the table as she was only millimeters away from licking a cupcake. Continue reading →


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A Cranberry Coffee Cake Celebration

Hi All! For those of you who have been following along, you are fully aware of my kitchen floor fiasco but as of 3:37pm Tuesday, Rick, AKA Guy who was vying for 6th member of our family and daytime tennant,  finished our floors and drove his big, white van off into the sunset while I waved, not quite believing that most of this mess was over.

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Traditions Reinvented—A Cranberry Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake

For those of you who have been here, done that…I am sorry for the reposts lately. I am without a kitchen at the moment so I have decided to share some old favorites of mine and now hopefully yours…

Are you in the Thanksgiving spirit yet?  Perhaps dreaming of cranberries and pumpkin pie?  Cranberries are so nice and tart that they are the perfect accompaniment to a deep, dark Devil’s Food cake laced with both white and dark chocolate ganache.

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Aunt Bette’s Dangerous German Chocolate Cake

Aunt Bette is my husband’s aunt, and as far as my dad is concerned, her German Chocolate cake is the best dowry any dad could ask for.  It is actually airy and spongy, with the best ooey, gooey coconut and pecan topping.  If that’s not enough, it also has a luxurious chocolate butter cream frosting on the sides just to send it over the top.

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Red Velvet Vampire Cupcakes

The Halloween party has begun early over here with these Red Velvet vampire cupcakes. This recipe honestly will rock your world and will beat out any other Red Velvet recipe in any throwdown, showdown or bake-off.  Trust me.  And with the new McCormick black and their red food coloring, it was easy to make an everyday Red Velvet cupcake into a blood-sucking vampire.

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Mega Give Aways and a Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake

Hello, I have a very exciting week ahead of me for Sweet and Crumby and for you, my awesome readers. I have TWO GREAT GIVE AWAYS this week so you may want to become a subscriber so you are notified when those posts go up. The first give away is for an awesome selection of Halloween Inspired goodies from McCormick! You’ve got to come back tomorrow for the “reveal” to enter.

I have also been visited by the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online and WON a $100 Amazon Gift Card by commenting on Angie’s Recipes!  I will get to participate in the fun of helping the Fairy Hobmother give out a $100 Amazon Gift Card this week so stay posted on the posts!

Please excuse the very horrible lighting.


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A Spicy Apple Cake Gets Soused

Hi All, this is a re-post from last September, but it’s so fall-ish, so spicy and apple-y, I just HAD to play it again.  Just like an old favorite movie you could watch 100 times, this cake is THAT kind of cake…

How could something NOT CHOCOLATE be this delicious? It has taken absolutely every ounce of strength I have NOT to lick my fingers when frosting this cake. It is a decadent creamy, caramel icing, and the cake itself is soft, rich and full of the spices of fall.

I am such a devout chocoholic that I actually get a bit irked when someone says that chocolate just isn’t their “thing”.  I don’t want any part of their thing if that is the case…but that sounds wrong doesn’t it? Continue reading →


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Confessions of a Chocolate Snob and A Memorable Chocolate Souffle Cake

I have one friend who likes to tease me because I am such a chocolate snob. I won’t eat Hershey’s. Sorry Hershey. Your taste, texture and overall lack luster appearance just doesn’t do it for me.  What my friend doesn’t realize is that I wear the ridicule like a badge of honor; like a brash wine or cigar snob.

I can walk by our office jar of grocery store chocolates like it’s no big deal, like I am just THAT GIRL who prefers healthier fare, craves wheat grass and avoids sugar like the plague. Continue reading →