The Famous Chocolate Cake

The Famous Chocolate Cake!

There's no denying it: I like cake. This cake — The Famous Chocolate Cake —  is my favourite, and the most-requested cake choice by my family at get-togethers, birthday parties and barbecues.

Jason and Pam serve the cake with ice cream; Robin waits in anticipation for his piece.

It has a rich, deep chocolate flavour and a dense and moist crumb. It is easily customizable with different fillings such as custard or raspberry jam. It is simple to make and if you follow the instructions, it will never fail you. Enjoy it, as we did, with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or an ice-cold glass of milk.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

I have been waiting impatiently for strawberry season to begin. Strawberries here are sweet, red jewels bursting with flavour. The season is late in starting where I live due to the cold, wet spring. I have been eyeing my friend's rhubarb plants with the evil plan of relieving her of it when the strawberries come in, so that I could make a Strawberry Rhubarb pie. But the cold, rainy days continued. The rhubarb matured and the strawberries remained infuriatingly green. I made the decision to go ahead with my vegetable larceny. The rhubarb was ruby red, still firm and juicy inside. The stalks snapped off the plant with a quick tug. I trimmed the leaves and they went back on the garden bed under the rest of the plants as mulch for next year.

The crisp scent of the cut stalks foretold the tart brightness of the rhubarb and strawberries together. Balanced with a rich, buttery crust and the tangy-sweet creaminess of the Mascarpone Whipped Cream, I was ready to get this party started!

Banana Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Coconut Custard

Banana cake is such a homey, comforting treat. Baked into loaves and drizzled with sour cream glaze and enjoyed with cafe latte, slices of banana loaf are available at almost every coffee shop for good reason. Baked into a cake pan and topped with rich, chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting, banana cake can be sliced into tasty squares and served after lunch. Or made into muffins, delectably studded with dark chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless for this home baked treasure.

Banana Cake hot out of the oven

This banana cake recipe comes from my Mom, who made it in a cake pan with vanilla buttercream for me and my sister to devour as a special after school snack. It had bananas in it, so it was healthy, right?