recipe: Ferrero Roche Nutella cake

quick/crummy picture... sorry cake

changes: i needed a quick/easy cake base since i was short on time, so used a hybrid of 2 recipes for the cake base + icing for this cake. the original cake base recipe does not call for any added liquor, but i sprinkled hazelnut booze in between all layers. 

result: amazing. this icing is perfect for a cake that needs a little extra sumthin-sumthin, or even to layer in between cookies. i copy-cated the toppings from Tatayan's Everyday Food, which was really easy, but looked SO pretty. the cake was a little tricky to spread icing on but it was so moist, but the flavor was really rich and a perfect compliment to the hazelnutty icing. perfect.

ICING/FILLING:
taken from: Tatayana's Everyday Food

ingredients icing:
- 2 cups butter, softened to room temp
- 1 cup nutella
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar

ingredients topping:
- crunchy wafer or waffle cookies, crushed (i used Belgian almond thins)
- 1/2 cup Frangelico or other hazelnut liquor
- Ferrero Rocher candies and hazelnuts
- gold sprinkles
- hazelnut Pirouette's 

CAKE BASE: 
taken from: allrecipes.com

ingredients: 
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 & 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water

to make: preheat oven to 350F degrees. grease and flour 3 9-inch round pans.

in a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla, and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. stir in boiling water last. batter will be very thin. pour evenly into the 3 prepared pans. 

bake 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. cool pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 

to make icing, place softened butter and Nutella into a mixer, and whisk until light and fluffy. gradually add the confectioner's sugar until frosting is thick and fluffy. add pinch of salt for flavor. 

when ready to assemble cake, lightly soak each cake layer with Frangelico before topping with frosting and an crushed cookies between each layer. frost sides and top, then garnish with candy, hazelnuts, cookies, Pirouette's, sprinkles, or whatever else you want to throw on there. 

keep refrigerated, removing from fridge 1 hour before serving to allow buttercream to soften. 

recipe: lemon poppyseed bundt cake

something about spring brings me overwhelming cravings for lemon-based desserts and orange-zested cookies. i was torn between a dope-ass lemon square and a lemon poppy seed cake, but those savory lil poppy seeds threw me over the edge. i made this cake last week with the intention of just having one slice to calm my craving... i ended up having almost half the cake, but thankfully bringing it into work easily gets rid of the leftovers.

i used the recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction -- i liked that she took no shortcuts, used no lemon pudding, nor any yellow cake mix boxed-base... she was all about lemons and the ultimate ingredients. thankfully, all of the little extra steps she included made the end result well worth while -- this was so damn good!

ingredients list - cake:
- 2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 4 large lemons (about 1/3 cup, packed)
- juice of 2 large lemons (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temp

ingredients list - lemon simple syrup:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- juice of 2 large lemons (about 1/2 cup)

ingredients list - lemon glaze:
- 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
- juice of 1/2 (or up to 1) large lemon