Heavenly Banana Cream Pie!

Oh I know, isn't it beautiful?!  I was curious if I could alter my recipe for the Mississippi Mud Pie, switch out chocolate for bananas and YEP I did it, and YEP it was amazing and totally worth that entire day I spent planning and putting it together.

I had to develop my own recipe for the cake and just swapped a different cookie for the crust.  The custard was so so yummy, that recipe can be found here.  I didn't want a fake tasting artificial JELLO pudding pie.  I wanted a real-deal banana cake/pie.  And this is what came out of my efforts--I couldn't be happier.  

 You can see the layers of crust, cake, custard, and cream!  (ooooh that could be a song!)

It keeps beautifully too, although I doubt you'd have to worry about that :P

Happy 4th Birthday Leila!

 My beautiful little girl turned 4 this past weekend.  She wanted something purple and something delicious--she wanted a monster and so this is what I came up with.  I didn't want fondant (gross), I didn't want too much frosting, because no matter how nice frosting tastes, sometimes it can be overwhelming and most people can't eat a mouthful of sugar.  I settled on a swiss meringue buttercream because it's just perfect.  It's sweet, yet overly so, and it colors so well.

I let her help make her decorations, I told her I'd frost the outside and she could tell me what to put on her monster.  She just wanted some eyes and a squiggly mouth, so that's what we did!

The inside of the cake is what I was most excited about.  There are five layers, two chocolate layered between the cherry, chocolate chip, and funfetti layers.  I was so impressed with how it looked when we cut into it :)

And here is her little monster, a little worse for wear since it's quite difficult to keep a 4 year old's fingers off of her birthday cake :P

And here they are, my happy beautiful girls.  Happy Birthday Leila bug <3  (Look how happy she is!)

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting!

I'm in love with pumpkin.  Anything pumpkin.  I am an American girl living in Australia and pumpkin isn't used in many, if ANY, desserts here, so I've had to improvise or else miss out on one of my favorite favorite seasonal favorites.  

I have made so many pumpkin pies, and I was looking for something different.  Don't get me wrong, I would never complain if I had a delicious creamy spicy pumpkin pie with whipped cream, it's just that I'm on a cake roll at the moment :)  I got a new cake turning board and some new piping tools from my mom for an early Christmas present (THANK YOU MOM!) and I'm excited about using them.

So here it is, my Pumpkin Spice Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting.  Have to credit Sweetapolita again for the original recipe, I've altered it to suit my tastes and OMG it's definitely satisfied my pumpkin holiday craving!  

 Aren't those layers gorgeous?  

I sprinkled some cinnamon on the finished cake just to break up the white frosting, but it was even pretty without the cinnamon.  But hey, no such thing as too much cinnamon!

Mulberry Cupcakes with Mulberry Cream Cheese Frosting!

Mulberry Cupcakes with Mulberry Cream Cheese Frosting!

Isn't that a BEAUTIFUL use of ripe, freshly picked, mulberries?

I just couldn't resist :P

These cupcakes are very special to me :)  My girls and I are always taking walks together, to the library, the shops, or to the park just down our little street.  This time of year, in Sydney, everything is in bloom--we see everyone's gardens and every year I get a little bit jealous I haven't got a green thumb >.<  Not that we don't try, this year we are trying to grow watermelon, zucchini, coriander, mint, rosemary, and some pretty flowers.  They're all seedlings still but we have high hopes!  But, even if I'm not successful, the least we can do is take advantage of the lovely produce available and teach my girls the value in all growing things, small or big, to eat or just to look at :)

Now where was I... Oh yes, the walks!  We walked to the park this morning and a lady was there with her daughter picking mulberries.  I knew the tree was there because my sister and I picked the berries a couple of years ago together (what a great time we had too!).  I didn't have anything to carry many home with us, but the girls insisted on picking the ripe ones and bringing each and every one to me as I sat reading.  I quickly realized they had the right idea, and fashioned a paper basket of sorts out of the receipts in my bag and we carried home about 4 handfuls!  The girls were so happy and excited, suggesting so many things I could make with them.  

I came across a beautiful cupcake recipe here.  I changed it a bit, made them more berry-y and omitted the matcha (even though I LOVE matcha, I just didn't want to use the little bit I have on frosting, I'm stingy! :)  I imagine any berry would work, I am already thinking of trying strawberry and blueberry.  Sadly, I just can't get the mulberries all year round.

The girls lined my cupcake pan and waited patiently to be my little taste testers.  I think they passed with flying colours, they're already telling me we NEED to go get more mulberries.  Clever little girls!

Mississippi Mud Pie!

Mississippi Mud Pie (You know you want some :)

 From the top, sure this pie isn't much to look at.  Not that all that fluffy whipped creme and chocolate curls aren't beautiful, but it's what's inside this pie that will blow your mind.  It is without a doubt the most impressive, beautiful, and delicious pie I've ever had.  I almost didn't even make it (I'm more of a cake person.)  BUT I'm so happy I did.  

Yes, there are 4 layers, counting the crust, which I do, because this crust is YUMMY.  Oreo cookie crust, dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate pudding, and whipped creme, topped with chocolate curls.

Everyone loved this pie.  It didn't even last the evening.  

Next time, I'll double the recipe and invite over all of our friends, just to hear you all brag about my pie :D

Original recipe found here and adapted by me <3