Apple cake, Blondies, Ube Pandesal and more . .

Hi hi peeps! So much to share today, so buckle up. Over the last two Saturdays (since last I slid into your inbox) I have recorded two excellent interviews for She’s My Cherry Pie (my Cherry Bombe baking podcast - the #1 in the U.S.!) - one with Elizabeth Mayhew who makes these incredible “charm” cakes (think charm bracelets, except on a cake).

And one with Arlyn Osborne, the debut author of Sugar Cane: Recipes from my Half Filipino Kitchen. 

Arlyn and I chatted all things ube cheese pandesal (a traditional Filipino roll) on the pod, and because you are the luckiest peeps around, Arylyn shared the recipe with me, and I, with you.

In addition to these two fab interviews (that I am hoping that you will give a listen to - wherever it is you get your podcasts), I wanted to remind you that . . . I have a monthly paid newsletter in which I share the process of writing my fourth cookbook - which will be pubbing on 9/24/24 - AND I share a recipe from the book with you in each letter (please don’t tell my publisher !) and I am hoping you’ll consider subscribing . . .

Additionally, I wanted to ask a very pressing question: do you, or do you not, know that I am going to Provence from October 23rd though 29th and that I want YOU to come with me?! I am going with Modern Adventures, (a boutique travel company that leads small trips (with limited space) hosted by creatives (like me - yes, folks: I am considered a “creative,” believe it or not). Please reach out to me if you are curious about the trip and want to know what to expect (I.e. incredible food, markets, art, architecture, etc.). Would love to chat all things Provence with you.

I have two more recipes I want to share with you today (in addition to the above ube cheese pandesal) but before doing so, I wanted to tell you about a book I just read that I loved (I’m kind of a book-worm, in case you didn’t know) and a TV show that I streamed recently with my husband, that we both loved (cause i am also a serious TV watcher, another thing you may not know). The book is SA Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed.

Cosby is a NYT best selling crime fiction writer and I adore him (this is his 3rd book and I’ve loved all of them). The protagonist, Titus Crown, is the first black sheriff of his small VA town and he is a fantastic character, and the mystery/crime(s) he must solve will have you on the edge of your seat (aka it’s a first-class page turner). As for the TV show, have you seen Slow Horses? With Gardy Oldman?

It is hilarious and clever and so well-acted. I am literally in LOVE with the show. Highly recommend you give it a watch. And, finally yes: I want to share two easy recipes for quick sweets for whenever the craving hits. First up, is my easiest ever apple snacking cake. 

The cake is so crazy easy to assemble and calls for melted butter (so there is no need to soften butter or pull out your stand mixer). But you could sub a neutral oil, if you’d like (a lot of my podcast guests are quite fond of grapeseed oil in an application like this, in case you were wondering what oil to reach for). It is a wonderful cake to make before berries and other spring and summer fruits are available. And is not dissimilar from my pear sour cream snacking cake from Snackable Bakes. And in addition to cake, i’m feeling like you might need some one-bowl blondies to get you through this last month pre-spring (or maybe that is just me?). 

These blondies are everything you’d ever want in one: easy to assemble (I mean they are one-bowl after all), crispy-edged, with softer middles, very butterscotch’y, with exactly the right amount of chocolate chips (not too many, not too few). I love them with some chopped pecans, but leave them out if nuts are not your jam.

Alright peeps, c'est ça (ie: “that’s it” in French - want you ready for the Provence trip we’re taking together - 🥰). Looking forward to seeing you all again in two weeks.