things are nuts over here so i'm going to keep it short and sweet. sweet being the operative word. 

my life lately has been all cake. while i never set out to be a baker, my cake orders have rapidly picked up. i am so grateful and excited that they are so well received, but i'm having trouble readjusting to the increase in demand. basically, i'm all cake and no play. 

but i wanted to take a moment to share one of the tastier things i've been whipping up lately. there is something so decadent about a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. or just a big fat spoonful of chocolate frosting. whatever floats your boat. 

personally, i am not a fan of classic butter cream. too sweet for this blood. so you will find that all of my frosting recipes have a cream cheese frosting. 

chocolate cream cheese frosting

serves: 6lbs frosting

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 5 minutes

total time: 15 minutes

ingredients: 2 lbs room temperature butter. 2 lbs room temperature cream cheese. 1 tbs vanilla extract. 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted. 1 lb dark chocolate, melted and cooled. stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. 

start by combining the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer.

mix on a medium speed until everything is well combined. as the butter and cream cheese are mixing, pour in the vanilla extract. it should take 2-3 minutes to be completely combined and smooth.

one third at a time, add in the powdered sugar. scrape down the sides of the bowl in between.

once all the powdered sugar is added and well combined, slowly start to add in your chocolate.

make sure that your chocolate has cooled significantly so nothing gets melty.

once your chocolate is just combined, turn off your mixer. do not over whip.

us immediately ore store in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

xo, a

chocolate cream cheese frosting

serves: 6lbs frosting

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 5 minutes

total time: 15 minutes

ingredients: 2 lbs room temperature butter. 2 lbs room temperature cream cheese. 1 tbs vanilla extract. 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted. 1 lb dark chocolate, melted and cooled. stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. 

start by combining the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer. mix on a medium speed until everything is well combined. as the butter and cream cheese are mixing, pour in the vanilla extract. it should take 2-3 minutes to be completely combined and smooth. one third at a time, add in the powdered sugar. scrape down the sides of the bowl in between. once all the powdered sugar is added and well combined, slowly start to add in your chocolate. make sure that your chocolate has cooled significantly so nothing gets melty. once your chocolate is just combined, turn off your mixer. do not over whip. us immediately ore store in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

so. i have been pretty mia when it comes to writing. that doesn't mean i haven't been cooking up a storm, it just means i don't have a free freaking second to even THINK about taking photos of food. now, the cooking constantly part feels great! it's literally my dreams come true. 

but. come on, you knew there was a but. 

but. i am craving those freer days when i could spend an hour playing with where on my butcher block the butter would go. what i wouldn't give to have a day to spend using up hours of morning light to style the perfect food shot. 

today, i carved out an hour and a half in my schedule to a little food play. thursday, we are beginning production on the twenty-nineteen cake calendar and i need to get back in the groove. for seasonal purposes, we are shooting may and june this week while i still have a the last of the seasons rhubarb to work with. 

for two years i have been trying to get some time to play with rhubarb. of course, the second they start to hit the shelves, i become swamped with work. but not today folks, not today. i got lucky with some beautiful late season beautifies and some very delicious strawberries and it was completely worth the wait. 

strawberry rhubarb cake

serves: 9 inch cake

prep time: 15 minutes

bake time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1.5 cup chopped rhubarb. .5 cup chopped strawberries. 1.5 cup demerara sugar, divided (you can sub granulated sugar if you can't get your hands on demerara). .5  cup butter + 1 tbs. 2 cups all purpose flour. 4 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp kosher salt. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .75 greek yogurt. .25 cup whole milk. parchment paper. 9 inch cake pan. 

start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees f. in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set it aside. in a second bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries and .5 cup of the sugar and set it aside.

in a third bowl, combine the milk and greek yogurt and set it aside. in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and remaining sugar and mix on medium high speed until fluffy.

add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl in between. pour in the vanilla extract.

start to add your wet and dry ingredients alternating, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

when your batter is just combined, add in the rhubarb and strawberries and mix until just combined. lightly butter the sides of the your cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

pour in the batter and bake your cake for 40-45 minutes. just until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean.

cool till you can handle and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. 

xo, a

strawberry rhubarb cake

serves: 9 inch cake

prep time: 15 minutes

bake time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1.5 cup chopped rhubarb. .5 cup chopped strawberries. 1.5 cup demerara sugar, divided (you can sub granulated sugar if you can't get your hands on demerara). .5  cup butter + 1 tbs. 2 cups all purpose flour. 4 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp kosher salt. 2 eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. .75 greek yogurt. .25 cup whole milk. parchment paper. 9 inch cake pan. 

start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees f. in a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set it aside. in a second bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries and .5 cup of the sugar and set it aside. in a third bowl, combine the milk and greek yogurt and set it aside. in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and remaining sugar and mix on medium high speed until fluffy. add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl in between. pour in the vanilla extract. start to add your wet and dry ingredients alternating, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. when your batter is just combined, add in the rhubarb and strawberries and mix until just combined. lightly butter the sides of the your cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. pour in the batter and bake your cake for 40-45 minutes. just until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean. cool till you can handle and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.