best of 2019

It’s time to slide into the roaring 20s and I’m here for it.  2019 was lovely and my major accomplishments included lots of travel, conquering laminated doughs, and getting a new niece. Some may say I can’t take credit for that last one but she does share my middle name and we take our wins where we can over here. Below is what you were most excited about this year, and by you I mean the treasured handful of ‘you’ that actually know about this website.

1. This one makes me so happy! Marble loaf cake is number one and it’s such a favorite of mine. It’s one step passed simple but still hits that sweet spot of cake for any occasion. In the post I describe the texture as ‘airy fudge’ and I stand by it.
2. Knocked down one notch from the number one spot last year are the brown butter oreo toffee chocolate chip cookies.  You guys like what you like and I respect that. I think this recipe was from when I first started to brown butter in 2016 and I have not stopped since.
3. I am also thrilled to see layered carrot cake with buttercream flowers as a top contender because I risked my life holding these flowers on a frozen sheet tray as I drove to hingham in three thousand degree weather on easter.  Clearly the efforts were worth it.
4. Vanilla bean sandwich cookies! I’m responding to each of these results as if I won something when in reality saying any post on this blog is “highly trafficked” is an overstatement at best. I made these cookies for my boss’s birthday this year and if she ever reads this blog, she will know I’m obsessed with her.
5. I can’t tell if these whipped shortbread cookies are actually popular or if it’s just me visiting this page once a month because that’s how often I make them.  They truly are a love letter to butter and fruity icing.
6. Easily the number one thing my family cares about me making is this coconut layer cake. I have a heavily filtered picture of this cake with 3 whopping likes on my personal instagram from 2012 that shows the longevity of this lady.
7. Looks like a deep dish pizza, tastes like a bougie PB and J. Ladies and gentlemen, peanut butter raspberry pie. (Somewhere on the south shore my mother is saying “yuck!” out loud to her computer screen. Try and tell me you’re not Joanie).
8. Another frequent top cookie are the marzipan and dark chocolate mandel bread. Chewy pockets of almond, buttery vanilla cookie, dark chocolate, sprinkles, slay me. In other news, my campaign to get Molly Yeh to notice me continues.
9. On the subject of women I’d like to befriend me, Joanne Chang and Meghan Markle, this ginger chocolate chunk banana bread is for you.
10. Last but not least, you guys really get what’s good on here.  And what’s good is almond cookie cake made with margarine.

happy new year : )