Tag: chocolate

DIY Candy Melt Honeycomb For A Bee Cake

June 20, 2019
by Whitney
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I recently had the opportunity to create this bee-themed cake for Thistle & Lace, and as I was during the design planning process I knew I had to incorporate honeycomb in some way. The black and yellow buttercream stripes were a given, but adding the texture of honeycomb really made the cake come alive. There’s a really quick way to make DIY “honeycomb” for cake decorating, and I want to share the technique with you in this super quick tutorial (especially if you’re planning a bee-themed cake of your own!).

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The Perfect One-Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe

January 11, 2019
by Whitney
comments 58
chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream recipe

After testing so many chocolate cake recipes over the years, I’ve come really close to perfection only to miss the mark on the essentials of a good chocolate cake: moistness, fluffiness, and great chocolate flavor. You know, the kind with the slightly sticky crumb that just melts in your mouth and almost makes your eyes roll back in your head because it’s just that good. While my chocolate cakes of the past have been acceptable, this one I’m about to share is the absolute best I’ve ever had. No joke. It’s moist, decadent, and makes me so giddy I want to shout it from the rooftops!

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Favorite Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

January 11, 2019
by Whitney
comments 7

One of my friends described this chocolate buttercream perfectly: it’s the kind you have to put in the sink and cover with water so you don’t eat the whole bowl. I think she’s totally right, because time and time again I find myself eating this stuff by the spoonful. I’m a huge fan of all things chocolate, so it doesn’t surprise my that this is my favorite buttercream of all. Yes, those are strong words, but this is how I feel.

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San Francisco Favorites: What To Eat

September 28, 2018
by Whitney
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tartine bakery san francisco review

Living in Portland has given me access to some incredible, unique eateries. Whenever I travel, I usually enjoy the food in other places, but I’m always a little more impressed (and blessed!) by the food of our hometown. I did not expect to be completely floored by all the food I got to eat in San Francisco, but I was. It made Portland seem like baby food! Well, really good gourmet baby food. Ok, that’s still a total overstatement but you get what I mean.   

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Chocolate Geometric Shapes Tutorial

June 22, 2018
by Whitney
comments 2
white chocolate matcha cake by sugar and sparrow

I wouldn’t consider myself a chocolatier per se, but I am a big fan of making simple geometric chocolate shapes (mainly circles and triangles) to top my cakes and cupcakes with. It all started when I saw the chocolate shard trend take off on Instagram and it made me wonder how hard it could be. The good news is, it’s pretty darn easy if you’ve got a plan and some good tempered chocolate to start with.

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White Chocolate Brushstroke Cupcakes Tutorial

March 19, 2018
by Whitney
comments 2
brushstroke cupcakes by sugar and sparrow

Over the years I’ve learned that, aside from fondant, white chocolate is one of the best mediums for creating cake toppers. It’s great for making fun geometric shapes, 3D art (I hope to master the white chocolate sphere someday!), and one of my favorite techniques: painting with white chocolate to create brush strokes. It’s one of the easiest techniques ever, and when you get a little creative with your colors the results can be breathtaking. Let me show you how it’s done:

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