Tag: chocolate

Ruby Chocolate Cake Recipe

February 14, 2020
by Whitney
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ruby chocolate cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Right after I made this Ruby Chocolate Buttercream recipe, I instantly thought to try it with my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I figured since ruby chocolate has predominant notes of raspberry, and raspberry and chocolate are a match made in heaven, the cake and buttercream combo would be a good fit. Well I was right (I love it when that happens!) – it was the perfect balance of berry and chocolate and such a delight to eat! You would think that the chocolate cake would overwhelm the berry notes but instead, the flavors work together in perfect harmony. And just look how pretty it is: 

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Thin Mint Chocolate Cake Recipe

January 27, 2020
by Whitney
comments 17
Mint Chocolate Cake Recipe by Sugar and Sparrow

I never got the chance to be a Girl Scout, but I have been loving their cookies for a lifetime and don’t plan on stopping any time soon. They’ve got an array of amazing flavors, but my favorite are Samoas and Thin Mints. Hands down. So when I was working on a peppermint hot chocolate cake this past Christmas and it came out of the oven tasting just like a Thin Mint, I knew just what I had to do with it. I never made that peppermint hot chocolate cake (maybe this year!), but I am oh so happy with this Thin Mint inspired cake in the meantime! 

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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 94
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 18

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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