Amarula Chocolate Stout Cake

I celebrated my birthday earlier this week, and cake ranks high among the many things that I love about birthdays. In Germany, you are expected to bring a cake to work on your birthday. I absolutely love baking cakes, so this was a highlight for me. Now that I am back in the US, I…

Porter Chocolate Party Cake with Coconut Cream and Cacao Nibs

If you need some dessert inspiration to get you through your Monday, here it is. I made this cake for a party over the weekend, and I’m really sad that it is already gone. Cakes baked with beer are simultaneously incredibly moist, and wonderfully light. Dark beers and chocolate are a natural pairing. If you’re…

Oatmeal Stout Apple Cake

Do you have a go-to dessert recipe? This apple cake from Biggirlssmallkitchen.com is one of mine. I first made it a few years ago for a dinner with friends, and I fell in love with the moist, not-too sweet cake studded with apples and chewy oats. The beer and cinnamon lend a wonderful, warm flavor…

Raspberry Lambic Cupcakes with Cocoa Buttermilk Buttercream

These cupcakes are GOOD. As you have probably noticed, I love baking with beer. I wanted to create something for Valentine’s Day using beer, and decided to go with something pink…a raspberry lambic. Lambics are sour beers fermented with fruit. They are pretty genius, because they  manage to incorporate tons of fruity flavor without too…

A Celebratory Dessert for the New Year: “Fallen Chocolate Cake”

For New Year’s Eve last year, I made the most delicious chocolate cake to bring to a friend’s party. I found the recipe on bonappetit.com, called fallen chocolate cake. It makes a dense, fudgey, insanely chocolaty cake topped with fluffy mascarpone cream. This is most definitely a dessert that will please chocolate lovers, but the…

Lightened Oatmeal Stout Gingerbread with Chocolate Stout Glaze

Gingerbread is the quintessential Christmas dessert. Whether you prefer it in cookie or cake form, its dark crumb and warm spicy flavors are perfect during the winter chill. You may  have noticed that I have a thing for desserts made with beer. Dark beers are my favorite, and I love the flavor and moistness that…

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake with Speculoos Cookie Crust

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Perhaps it’s because I love an excuse to eat candy (although I always make sure to go for a long-ish run on Halloween), or because planning costumes is so much fun. Handing out candy to trick-or-treaters is always fun, too, and I’ve missed these things since…

Apple Cake with Irish Coffee Glaze

Fall desserts are so comforting. While I love ice cream and summer berries, there is something about warm spiced apples, pears, or pumpkin that is so very satisfying. For the last few years, this apple cake has been my go-to dessert to bring to parties, but a couple of weeks ago I decided to try…

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake (for recovery)

This has been a great weekend! We’ve had perfect fall weather, cool but still sunny, and there is lots to do in Leipzig right now. The last weekend of each month is a huge antique market south of the city, and my husband and I always enjoy walking around and looking at the (unusual) things…

Chocolate Stout Cake with Amarula Icing, and a 15 miler

After almost a month of rain and cool temperatures, I was afraid that summer was over in Leipzig, but the sun came out just in time for the weekend. Saturday was a perfect, hot summer day, and I celebrated it with a lazy morning, long afternoon walk, and ice cream. Today I planned on running…