• Cake
  • Frosting
  • YouTube
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Cake Basics
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • About
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Sugar & Sparrow logo in script font

Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Cookies & Bars
    • Filling
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • No-Bake
    • Small Batch
    • Vegan
  • Tutorials
  • Book
  • Blog
  • About

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

January 9, 2019 · In: Lifestyle

I know Christmas isn’t just about presents, but there’s something special about getting meaningful things from (and for!) the people you love. You know, those gifts that make you feel known. This year I got quite a few special cake-related things along those lines, and I wanted to share them with you because they’re just so good:

A cute linen apron.

My sister in law got me this pretty linen apron that has the cutest criss cross straps! Maybe now my clothes won’t be so covered in powdered sugar.

linen apron for baking

A tiny cupcake stand.

This teeny tiny stoneware cupcake stand is also from my sister in law, made by the Hearth & Hand collection at Target. I’m kindof obsessed with all things miniature and I’m so excited to use it in my food photography. It’s perfect!

white cupcake stand by hearth and hand

The perfect white cake stand.

I gifted this one to myself for Christmas (hehe) because I’m trying to grow my cake stand collection. It’s surprisingly hard to find plain white cake stands that aren’t super short and wide! This one is a 6 inch stand on a taller pedestal, and it comes in all sorts of sizes and colors.

white cake stand

A personalized cake design journal.

Little did I know, my husband was tucked away in his office designing me a custom cake journal. I cried instantly when I unwrapped it because it was just so thoughtful! Every page features a blank cake that I can draw all over and cast creative vision. I’m always scribbling cake designs on napkins and scraps of paper, so to have all of my designs in one place is going to be magical.

personalized cake decorating journal

The cake cookbook that started it all.

And as if that wasn’t thoughtful enough, my sweet husband also hunted down the cake cookbook that started my passion for baking! My mom used to have the entire collection of these Jean Parè cookbooks and I poured over this specific one when I was a little kid. My mom passed away a handful of years ago and I sadly didn’t inherit her recipe books, but I’m so happy to have this little piece of my childhood back thanks to the internet and my thoughtful husband.

jean pare company's coming cookbook cake

I’ve already started baking some of the recipes and they’re just so good. Some of them are hilarious though. There is a recipe for Chocolate Potato Cake that incorporates mashed potatoes into the batter and another quite famous one for Tomato Soup Cake, which is basically a spice cake with a can of tomato soup added. I can’t imagine either of those being tasty, but I’m going to have to bake them just to see!

jean pare cake cookbook

What are a few of your favorite things right now? Let me know in the comments!

By: Whitney · In: Lifestyle · Tagged: cake decorating, cake stand, cupcake stand, gifts for bakers, jean pare, jean pare cake cookbook, linen apron, personalized journal, sugar and sparrow, white cake stand, white cupcake stand

you’ll also love

the best vanilla cupcakes recipeThe Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
pumpkin layer cake recipe by sugar and sparrowPerfect Pumpkin Layer Cake Recipe
oreo cookies and cream cakeOreo Layer Cake Recipe

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gail Petragnnai says

    January 23, 2019 at 10:23 am

    I LOVE everything about your cakes!!
    Could you please please tell me where you got the white cake stand with the wood at the bottom???

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 23, 2019 at 10:58 am

      Aw thank you so much, Gail! The cake stand with the wood bottom was a gift from my sister in law and she says she got it on Amazon but I have not been able to find it anywhere since. There’s a similar one on Amazon called the “Petra Marble Cake Stand” but it’s not identical. I’ll make a whole blog post about it if I find it again because I’ve gotten so many inquiries about it! 🙂 I’ll keep my eyes out!

      Reply
      • Renee says

        December 5, 2019 at 4:35 pm

        https://www.riverbendhome.com/rbhitem/552237*1

        I think I found it!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          December 6, 2019 at 11:17 am

          Oh yeah! That one is super similar! Mine has a gold line through the top of it, but the design of that one is super close and the same size!

          Reply
  2. Emily says

    January 18, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    Stop it. What perfect gifts!! But that custom journal? Brilliant. So thoughtful and BEAUTIFUL. Thanks for sharing! Fun fun fun! (Glad your cereal cake led me to your blog. Darling!)

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 23, 2019 at 10:56 am

      Yesss! I’m loving the journal (and all the things) so much!! And wonderful job on the cereal cake – saw it on Instagram and I’m amazed!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

New Years Goals (Not Resolutions)

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Helping you whip up pretty desserts with confidence and creativity. And hopefully sharing a few laughs with you along the way!

Learn More

Connect

let’s bake!

Get my very best recipes, baking tips, and decorating tutorials sent to your inbox

Featured Posts

Spring desserts: Spring cakes and cupcakes, strawberry shortcake sheet cake, no-churn ice cream, no-bake cheesecake, and more

34+ Spring Dessert Recipes (Cakes, Cupcakes, No-Bake Desserts, and More!)

Best cake decorating and baking books

Anyone Can Cake is HERE!

chocolate peanut butter cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

Search

Archives

Follow Along

@sugarandsparrowco

WHIPPED MASCARPONE FROSTING ✨silky smooth, delicio WHIPPED MASCARPONE FROSTING ✨silky smooth, deliciously light, and the perfect consistency for cake decorating (including filling layer cakes + piping)! Imagine a whipped cream frosting with notes of rich mascarpone cheese and that’s what this frosting tastes like. It’s a DREAM on my orange poppyseed cake and I can’t stop thinking of other Spring/Summer cake flavors I want to try it with! 

Full recipe with cake pairing suggestions at https://sugarandsparrow.com/whipped-mascarpone-frosting/ 

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup (8oz, 227g) mascarpone cheese, cold
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 Cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
2 Cups (240g) powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. With the whisk attachment on a stand mixer (or hand mixer with a large bowl), beat the mascarpone, vanilla, and salt together at medium speed until creamy, 1-2 min
2. Turn the mixer to low and add the heavy whipping cream slowly, then turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until soft peaks form, which could take less than 1 min (keep an eye on it!). You should be able to dip a spatula into the mixture and see a peak that slightly droops when held upright. 
3. Add the powdered sugar all at once and mix on low speed until incorporated, then turn the mixer to medium speed and whip for about 30 seconds longer, until the frosting is thick and silky. Use right away or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

#mascarpone #mascarponecream #whippedcreamfrosting #whippedcreamcake #cakedecorating
BERRY CHANTILLY CAKE 🍓🫐fully inspired by the iconi BERRY CHANTILLY CAKE 🍓🫐fully inspired by the iconic Whole Foods Chantilly cake (iykyk 🙌🏼) and every bit as delicious! My homemade version is layers of extra soft and fluffy vanilla cake, berry jam, Chantilly cream frosting with rich notes of mascarpone and a hint of almond, and fresh berries throughout. It’s the idealideal berries and cream cake and ALWAYS a hit!! 
⁣
Full recipe is linked in my bio (or at https://sugarandsparrow.com/berry-chantilly-cake-recipe/)

PS: I also have a sheet cake version of this recipe! Google “sugar and sparrow berry Chantilly sheet cake” to find it! 

#chantillycake #whippedcreamcake #berrycake #cakedecorating #vanillacake
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SHEET CAKE 🍓aka classic straw STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SHEET CAKE 🍓aka classic strawberry shortcake toppings on a fluffy vanilla sheet cake and ideal for a crowd! It’s my favorite bakery-style white cake that’s so soft and moist, topped with silky whipped cream cheese frosting and thick homemade strawberry sauce. So easy to throw together with simple ingredients + a total showstopper ✨

Grab the recipe link in my bio or find it at https://sugarandsparrow.com/strawberry-shortcake-sheet-cake/ 

#strawberrycake #strawberryshortcake #sheetcake #whippedcreamfrosting #cakedecorating
ORANGE POPPYSEED CAKE 🍊this cake is unbelievably d ORANGE POPPYSEED CAKE 🍊this cake is unbelievably delicious with whipped mascarpone frosting!! The cake layers are soft and moist, packed with fresh citrus flavor, and has the satisfying crunch of poppy seeds in every bite. The mascarpone frosting keeps it light and refreshing and I love that it comes together in just about 5 minutes with minimal effort. A fancy cake that’s secretly simple!

Grab the recipe link in my bio or find it at https://sugarandsparrow.com/orange-poppyseed-cake-with-mascarpone-frosting/

#poppyseedcake #layercake #mascarpone #whippedcreamfrosting #cakedecorating
VANILLA SHEET CAKE (recipe below) 🥳 this cake is p VANILLA SHEET CAKE (recipe below) 🥳 this cake is packed with vanilla flavor, SO soft and fluffy, fun to decorate, and ideal for feeding a crowd. It makes me so nostalgic for my childhood birthday cakes!! 
 
Full recipe (w/ frosting!) at https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-sheet-cake-recipe/
 
INGREDIENTS: 
2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt 
3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temp 
1 3/4 Cup (340g) granulated sugar 
3 large eggs, room temp 
1/2 Cup (120g) sour cream, room temp
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract 
1 Cup (240ml) whole milk, room temp
 
INSTRUCTIONS: 
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and line a 9×13 baking dish. 
2. Add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. 
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer and large bowl), beat the butter on high speed for two minutes until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 10-15 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix for one minute on high speed. 
4. Turn the mixer off and add the dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed until just combined, then add the milk in a steady stream and mix until just incorporated. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the baking dish until room temperature, then frost with vanilla buttercream. 
 
#vanillacake #sheetcake #birthdaycake #vanilla #cakedecorating

Footer

On the Blog

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

stay in the know

Copyright © 2026 · Theme by Sugar & Sparrow