I intended to post before holidays, but with the Easter marathon of the Russian kulich-baking, pascha-making, and egg-dying I simply couldn’t find time. I hope you all had wonderful holidays.

This cake is for serious coconut lovers, since it has a pronounced coconut flavor. It will also please everyone who is fond of buttery crunchy streusel topping – there’s plenty of yummy crumbs piled over the top. Fragrant and sweet pineapple vanilla jam not just tastes great, but also keeps the cake moist for days. In other words, the cake is worthy of baking. I used egg whites here instead of whole eggs since I was trying to get rid of the whites, left over after yolk-rich Easter baking and cooking.

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Maybe, this cake doesn’t have “the looks”, but it’s got everything else. I would even dare to say it is perfect – so tender, moist, with sweet buttery taste (with not that much butter inside). If you wish, you can split the cake horizontally in half and fill it with blackberry or raspberry jam. But, personally, I prefer it plain, with a cup of coffee – the best breakfast.

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These little cupcakes are very good on their own – soft, light and moist, with tiny specs of grated chocolate, but simply outstanding when frosted with this super-creamy honey cream cheese frosting. What makes the frosting so special is the absence of icing sugar. Instead, I’m using raw muscovado (light brown sugar can be substituted, if the muscovado is unavailable) and honey to sweeten the frosting. The end result is the clean-tasted and truly luscious frosting, without cornstarchy powdery texture that I dislike in any icing sugar-based fillings.

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I baked it mostly out of curiosity. It is quite unusual, liquid batter which is prepared the way the classic Irish bread is made – from the cold butter cut into the flour and cold buttermilk mixed in. Besides the buttermilk the generous amount of Guinness is added to this mixture.

I was really wondering how the bread would turn out with the two and a half cups of liquid… It turned out pretty nice, very moist as you can see. My son, after he tasted the bread still warm from the oven, said that it resembled a banana bread.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The recipe comes from Margaret Waterworth who runs a pub in Donaghadee, County Down, Ireland.

You might also find interesting other Irish recipes:

• Guinness Applesauce Cake with Lemon Icing
• Irish Raisin Cake
• Multi-Seed Irish Soda Bread

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These scones, as all perfect cream scones should be, are light and tender inside, crispy outside, and full of flavor throughout. I like making them in advance and freezing unbaked. I bake the scones close to serving time without defrosting, getting the freshest warm pastries quickly and effortlessly.

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Generously spiced with cinnamon and cayenne, filled with ancho and fig puree, and glazed with cinnamon ganache, aren’t they truly the ultimate Mexican?

I’m craving the sun, heat, sandy beaches, and another Mexican vacation. Sadly, this vacation, although very much needed during the grey rainy Vancouver’s winter, will remain only a dream at least until next year… These super-fudgy brownies do have some healing, soothing power; could be an alternative to Prozac… Please, someone, take them away from me, must… stop… eating!

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