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. 

as previously expressed, i have kumquats coming out of my ears. but, i'm kind of loving it. it has me hyper focused on one ingredient and figuring out all the wonderful things i can do with that ingredient. 

plus, if you haven't noticed, they are really freaking adorable. 

so i'm getting very creative with kumquats. kumquat squares. kumquat jam. kumquat cocktails. 

but my favorite so far has been these lavender + kumquat cupcakes. 

one of the women i work with at one of my yoga studios and her friends bought a whole lavender plant when they made my lemon + lavender cake and were so sweet to give me the plant when they were done. and i've absolutely fallen in love with it. lavender has proven to be an amazing compliment to the tart and sweet kumquats and together they made a scrumptious cupcake.

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. .75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.

while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl. 

with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture. 

still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth. 

with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined. 

spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag. 

into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan. 

bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve. 

xo, a

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. 75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract.
preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.
while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl.
with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture.
still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth.
with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag.
into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan.
bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.