It's My Party...

Today, is my 30th birthday.

I left my 20's behind in an exhausted heap and I'm moving on and moving up.

During the course of this milestone birthday, I heard, possibly over nine million times - - "You didn't have to bake your own birthday cake, did you??"  As if that would somehow be a fate worse than turning 30;).

I love to bake!  What better way to celebrate than to really let loose in the kitchen and create something for myself that truly celebrates the occasion with flavors that I, me and myself really love? 

So I give you, Amy's 30th Birthday "Cake"

Lemon Almond Tiramisu
Tasty enough to make you forget your real age!

Real, fresh lady fingers, gorgeous, golden lemon curd, almond syrup and layer after layer of all of it.  No one stuck a candle in it for me...however, I did get my own version of "Happy Birthday" direct from my brother, who is in Israel.  It was in Hebrew, but I caught on:). 

Yes, that is a tea candle. 

I had to put up with a lot of complaining from those who believe cake is the ONLY acceptable way to fete one's natal day, but I blow raspberries in their general direction.

It's my birthday, and I'll eat lemons if I want to!  So there!

Thank the Maker for lemons!  They are one of my delights here on earth:). 

Happy Big 3-0 to me!



Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Time for a Cake Tasting!

In the wee hours of Saturday morning - - which for people like me, is any time before 9, thanks very much - - I packed my car up with a delivery of fresh bread and cake pops and one mouth-watering platter of cake.

I'm kind of like an old timey doctor.  I make house calls.  And today, the cake tasting came to the bride-to-be.  Wanna see what she sampled?

Eight flavor combinations!

Here's a handy-dandy guide to the gorggeous flavor up there:

Lemon Cake Vanilla Butter Cream	Almond Cake Chocolate Butter Cream	Chocolate Cake Vanilla Butter Cream	Buttery Yellow Cake Raspberry Butter Cream
Lemon Cake Raspberry Butter Cream	Almond Cake Almond Butter Cream	Chocolate Cake Peanut Butter Cream	Buttery Yellow Cake Strawberry Butter Cream

Fingers crossed that I get a call soon with an order for another big, beautiful bridal cake! 

Summery Lemony Lemon Curd

I love lemon desserts.  My lemon cake is hands-down the most popular flavor I make.

But there's one sweet lemon concoction I've been trying to get right for a while: Lemon Curd.

Fresh Lemon Curd with Blueberries

Let me just say...I definitely got it right. 

You can spread it on toast.  You can eat it with fresh fruit.  You can dip your finger in it or lap it right out of the bowl with your tongue.  I mean...I guess you could...I haven't PERSONALLY tried that...I mean...ahem.

It's one of those tricky recipes that requires cooking egg yolks over low heat, lots of beating and stirring and careful attention.  But when you put in the effort, there is a tremendous payoff.  I love it.  I can't wait to serve it to other lemon-fans.
I especially can't wait to fill a cake with this lovely stuff!  So, so, so good!