candied lemon cake

A Donna Hay classic. I have always looked at her site, stared aimlessly at the gorgeous photos but never actually made one of her recipes. So this is my first of hopefully many. It turned out wonderful tasting. My candied lemons did not stay whole like hers did in the photos. The centers of mine fell apart and looked a bit rugged. I will have to figure out how to retain the 'prettiness' while candying lemon slices.



The remaining syrup from candying the lemons gets brushed atop the cake before placing the slices. This is what makes this cake special. The sticky, gooey ultra tart syrup makes the cake amazingly moist. If you keep brushing it on, layer after layer, once it absorbs, it will seep all the way to the bottom. Making a super sticky cake with the chewy lemon slices on top. It's great. And this comes from someone who works with cake everyday and is beginning to hate the taste of them. Donna Hay does it right.






 So I was going to write some sort of update about my life but nothing is really new. I go to work, bake on my days of, take photos, watch too many cooking shows. The usual. So instead, here are random tidbits or stories about me:

*I was getting my ear pierced the other week. So while walking right in front of the tattoo parlor I was about to go in, with big glass windows, I trip. Not just a normal stumble kind of trip. A fall to the floor, rip the knees in your pants, get gigantic bruises on your legs, trip. So already feeling to awkward going into the shop, where they all look so tough and badass, and little blonde me, this would just be a typical thing that happens to me. They all saw. I knew I had to say something because it's not something you can just play that off. So of course I walk and loudly proclaim 'Bet y'all saw me fall?!' in a sarcastic voice, trying to break the tension. Then no one said anything. So yes, I can generally make a whole room feel awkward in a matter of seconds.

*I generally buy all my clothes at Marshalls, I love it there.

*You can tell me your name and 5 minutes later I have no clue what you said.

*But I will remember the most minuet detail that someone told me years ago.

*I love cheese but have a growing fear that I am somewhat lactose intolerant.

*I want to yell out the car window whenever I see a middle school girl in shorts and a tank top in freezing weather, saying 'Aren't you freaking cold?? Boys will still like you even if you put a damn sweater on!'

*I drive a 'soccer mom' mini van.

*I have bleached my eyebrows before. I loved it but everyone thought I looked like an alien.

*Whenever I buy shoes, people generally feel the need to tell me how big my feet are. I'm 5'5 and wear a 9 or 10.

*I think the Kinfolk Magazine videos they post online are the most beautiful films ever. I watch them over and over.

*I still live with my parents. I'm 24.

*I have dyed my hair probably every color you can imagine.

*I always wear high heels to Costco. Gotta make some part of shopping in a warehouse classy.

*I play backgammon on my phone all the time.

*I have one song on the iPhone. Someone like you by Adele.

*I have had an old pallet on my front porch for probably 6 months now that I have been meaning to break down and make into a photo background.

*I have horrible hearing.

*I took hundreds of photos of my old boyfriend. All of my photo albums are currently at the back of my closet, hiding in the darkness.


Ok, do you feel you know a bit more about me know? Well random facts about me anyways, hope you found it somewhat amusing.

Valentines Day is one week away. Dreading it. 

It is the worst holiday for a single girl who has had her heart trampled on by two guys in the past 3 months.

So you will see no cutesy desserts from me. Sorry guys, my heart shaped pans are staying securely where they are.